Independent specialty stores — especially those in secondary and tertiary American cities — are thriving, becoming increasingly important partners to designers who feel squeezed by unfair terms and smaller payouts offered by the bigger players.
 
Across the United States, specialty retailers are raising their profiles, from favourites like Capitol in Charlotte and Neapolitan in (Chicago suburb) Winnetka to upstarts including Hero Shop in San Francisco and Fivestory in New York.