In 1978 the company that was to emerge as Shoe Carnival was established in Evansville, Indiana by founder David Russell, a single shoe store known as Shoe Biz. The store was successful in its local market and by 1986 had expanded to four stores. The Shoe Biz chain attracted the attention of a trio of shoe executives, Jerome "Jack" Fisher, Vince Camuto, and Wayne Weaver of Fisher-Camuto, forerunner of the brand Nine West. A sale was made to the Fisher-Camuto executives, with Russell remaining with his former company as an employee.