Meet Rafique Malik, Built Multi-Billion Footwear Brand by Starting Off With One Shop

Rafique Malik, chairman of multi-brand footwear company Metro, has had a journey that’s nothing short of inspiring. Starting off with a store in Mumbai, Malik transformed the business into a multi-billion set-up. With a clear vision of handling the multi-chain format, he professionalized his family business to reach a capitalization of Rs 23,000 crore. Today, the tycoon reigns the footwear arena having about 720 stores across 164 cities in India. The well-known Metro Brands now caters to all target audiences be it women, men, or children.

The story of Metro

It all began with Rafique’s father Malik Tejani, who served as a shoe salesman at a store in Mumbai’s Colaba before independence. During the chaos of partition, the owner of the store fled India leaving Malik Tejani to take over the business, as per Your Story. With a burning passion to tap the new market, he took out a loan to gain ownership of the store that he later renamed as Metro Shoes. The inspiration behind the company’s name came from Metro Cinema, a famous theatre located in Mumbai. Rafique was merely 16 when he began his career with his father’s business and what followed was nothing less than a dream run.

The company has been able to hold a firm grasp on the footwear market by expanding its stores largely in tier II cities. In a milestone move, Metro Brands signed a deal with Crocs in 2015 to open the brand’s exclusive stores in India. It was in 2021 when Metro was officially listed to open the company to new investors on a domestic and global scale.

Personal life

Rafique Malik married Aziza, and the couple has five daughters. Today, the second of his daughters, Farah Malik Bhanji has taken over the baton of her family business by joining as managing director.

Metro Controversy

The multi-brand footwear chain has faced its fair share of ups and down. Back in 1996, Rafique Malik was among the several politicians and businessmen who were named by the Mumbai police, as per Startup Talky. He was reportedly accused of theft of concessionary funds provided to both artisans and cobblers.

Brands under Metro

Metro is the umbrella for multiple brands including Mochi, daVinchi, Cheemo, Crocs, Walkway, and FitFlop.