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Open for Business: A Shoe Grows in Brooklyn, 419 Seventh Avenue
Monday, May 14, 2012 at 1:59PM 
An independent, children-focused shoe store called A Shoe Grows in Brooklyn opened up last weekend in the long-vacant space that was the long-ago home of the Minerva Theater, on Seventh Avenue near the corner of 14th Street.
I had a chance to speak with the store's owner, Kelly Robertson, who lives just a couple blocks away and has two children of her own, a six year old and a seven year old.
"After losing my job in corporate communications, I wanted to do something completely different, and stay in the neighborhood," she told me." I had an idea for a kids' shoe store, because there's really no place to get quality children's shoes around here for a good price; it's either very expensive or Payless. Ours are midprice but still quality."
Robertson describes the quaint, comfortable, smartly-designed shop as a "modern family shoe store," with a wide selection of children's shoes along with a more focused offering for men and women. There's also a good selection of clothing and accessories, with an emphasis on Brooklyn-produced products (the Park Slope-themed tote bags are pretty cool). As many of the products as possible are earth-friendly, including "vegan" shoes from Saucony, made using no animal products. There's also a children's play area in the works.
It's really nice to see a store open up that's from the community, for the community, by the community. Robertson and business partner Jason Moore saw a need in the neighborhood and jumped at it, with stellar results.
And if you mention Here's Park Slope, you'll get 10% off your purchase!
A Shoe Grows in Brooklyn, 419 Seventh Avenue Brooklyn NY 11215. Phone: 718-832-1400
Open For Business in Scoops, Storefronts
Reader Comments (11)
I like Here's Park Slope. It's a good service. But sometimes the lack of real journalism is quite apparent. "it's really nice to see a store open up that's from the community, for the community, by the community. " --- this text is shown right next to a huge display of Crocs. Which are not made in Brooklyn. They're made in Mexico and Canada by a NASDAQ company.
Also it often seems that only new businesses are worthy of this blog's time. There's plenty that pre-date this blog that are valuable to the community. Some research into what's available would be a good idea before flouting a new business and furthering false ideas. Else this site comes off as merely a mouthpiece of those owners that it covers.
Why would Dan just bash a place because they have this product or that product or dont have this other product? That doesn't help anyone decide for themselves. If you want that kind of Op-ed approch, read FiPS, which seems to have a pessimistic attitude about almost everything. This is not a blog for cynicism. He goes in and talks to the owners and then reports the facts they provide. I like the support and "wish them well" attitude he brings. After all, he's not the one who should pass judgement on any establishment. Everyone can do that for themselves.
SouthSloper:
This isn't "journalism" it's a blog. If you'd like to start your own and only cover existing stores, be our guest. But since this isn't yours, why do you think you get to say what the content is? Talk about an entitled Park Sloper....
Jeez.
You cant post on the internet and not expect some criticism.
"the facts they provide"
Again, hard to take the site all that seriously. Its fluff. And hey, mention the fluff and get 10% off.
Like I said, usually Im a fan but this was an obvious blow job.
@South Sloper - I wasn't paid off, if that's what you're implying. It was just a new local business that I liked, and the owner wanted to extend an offer to the neighborhood.
I wish this place luck and I will definitely check it out, but i just want to point out that there is a children's shoe store that fits just the bill this owner is describing - quality children's shoes for a good price - about 4 blocks away on Prospect Park West and Windsor. It's called Windsor Shoes Too. It's family owned and has been in the neighborhood a long time. So go check them out too and spread the love!
Anyone who claims Windsor Shoes is 4 blocks away has got to be a shill for the store-4 blocks and 3 avenues is more like it. I never liked Windsor, seems to exist largely on the lack of competition. The people that work there on a day to day are not the owners and the prices are only good if youre willing to pay adult shoe prices for kids shoes.
Who cares if the people who work there are not the owners? We like Windsor Shoes and used to go there all the time for our kids shoes. The ladies who work there were always amazingly patient, and, yeah, prices are high, but, that is what good kid's shoes costs unless you go to Payless.
We used to have those kids shoe stores around here that were part of the kid's clothing stores (the name for some reason is escaping me! they had two stores on 7th Avenue and one on Court Street, all gone now). Anyway, their prices were VERY high and I never found them very helpful with shoes and sizing,
Anyway, there is definitely a need for a store like this around here, I wish them luck!
SouthSloper - dude stop being such a d*^k and criticizing things and people you have no clue about - why don't you - "in the name of "journalism,"- actually visit the place before passing judgement? this is actually a pretty cool store that made an effort to use local vendors/artists for their merchandise (I also met one of the owners) and it beats the hell out of the aforementioned, nasty, lame store on PPW (Jbob, you are so right) They also gave me a 10% "grand opening" discount before I even saw this post, which I appreciated. And it's not just kids, they have just as many adult shoes.
I live a few blocks from this place and went into this store the weekend it opened. I'm not one to voice my opinions on blogs ever, if it all, but I was seriously irked by this store. I walked and began browsing and the owners didn't even say "Hi, welcome to the store, may we help you, let us know if you have any questions, etc. etc." I'm not one to want people to kiss my ass, believe me, but how about some common courtesy? You just fucking opened, you should be welcoming and engaging. What, because I don't have a stroller, I'm not a good customer? If you're so effing neighborly then say HELLO. I've worked in retail plenty and know how first impressions count.
Also, they have a stupid "stroller parking" sign outside their store. They are the Park Slope stereotype in its greatest and most horrific form. So fucking lame. I'll never go back to this place.
Decide on a shoe budget. Depending on what you're willing to spend, different styles and brands may suit you best. Shopping at a discount venue, for instance, severely limits your choice of brand and style but provides very cheap shoes.