Milwaukee-based Allen-Edmonds Shoe Corporation was named the favorite men's shoe retailer by New York consumers, this week in Zagat's first New York City Shopping Survey. This award is based on customer preference in the areas of merchandise, presentation and service. The new Zagat guide was compiled through a survey of 7,176 frequent New York shoppers and covers a wide variety of categories.

"We often hear from our customers individually about how much they love our shoes and our service," said John Stollenwerk, president and CEO of Allen-Edmonds Shoe Corporation. "But to hear from thousands of New Yorkers all saying they consider us the best is a real honor, particularly through the authority of a Zagat survey. We are especially pleased to win given recent reports of weak service levels in the New York retail environment."

Milwaukeeans have long appreciated the personalized attention, custom fitting services and the convenience that comes with an Allen-Edmonds shoe. Allen-Edmonds is also renowned for its unique recrafting program that makes it possible to refurbish most of their footwear for less than half the cost of a new pair of shoes.

Oddly, Allen-Edmonds doesn't have a retail store in downtown Milwaukee but has two company-owned boutiques in midtown Manhattan -- one at 24 E. 44th St. and the other at 551 Madison Ave.