The Anselmi family’s shoe dynasty is helping to fund mental health awareness in New Zealand, with more than $1 million donated to the cause so far.
The family runs iconic New Zealand shoe chain Merchant 1948 – recently rebranded from Overland – which operates 60 stores and has about 400 employees.
For every pair of the company's Deuce Generation sneakers sold, $5 goes to the charity. Since the Young Heart Project’s launch in 2014, more than 200,000 sneakers have been sold.
More than $1 million has been raised from this, with the funds split into three charities – Youthline, the Graeme Dingle Foundation and Great Potentials.
The idea to set up the project came to managing director Shane Anselmi in 2013, after news coverage of the country's sobering mental illness statistics.
Merchant 1948 began with Shane’s grandfather Guiglielmo Anselmi, an Italian immigrant farmer who bought three King Country shoe stores in 1948.
His son, Tony Anselmi, learned the trade before establishing the Shoetown chain of stores. Tony’s son, Shane, expanded the business further, with well-known chains Mi Piaci and Overland.
The business remains a family affair, with Shane’s wife, Louise, a director and buyer.
Merchant 1948 launched into Australia in 2012, and has five stores in Melbourne.
The family also has property, viticulture, forestry and farming interests, including a Waitomo-based dairy farm and Ngahinapouri-based goat farm.
Photo: Stuff