Stride Rite Closing all Stores – Find Out Where to Buy Your Kids’ Shoes!

Have you been looking for a place to buy your kids’ shoes now that all Stride Rite stores have closed down? Do you feel like there is no place to have your kids’ feet properly measured anymore? Many families used to take their children to be fitted for shoes at Stride Rite, and since they closed most of their stores, these families don’t know where they should take their children to be properly fitted for shoes.

Do You Have a Specialized Children’s Shoe Store In Your Area?

Several parents have contacted me asking where they can buy their kids’ shoes now that all Stride Rite stores have closed down. I suggest that you start by checking if you have a specialized local children’s shoe store. The issue is that most independent shoe stores have been closing down as well, especially after COVID-19. That is the reason why I created a resource that showcases the best-fitting remaining shoe stores in the country.

If after looking at that resource you still can’t seem to find a local kids’ shoe store in your area and you must get your children’s shoes online I will provide you with a set of guidelines on how to make sure you provide your child with the correct type of shoes in the correct shoe size.

How to Retrieve Your Child’s Exact Foot Length and Shape – Use My Virtual Shoe Fitting Service

I developed the most effective way to determine your child’s exact foot size from your home and will personally assist you with a custom fitting tailored to your child’s individual needs. This easy-to-follow method allows parents to accurately determine:

• Correct length, width (narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide), and instep height
• Identify possible foot conditions such as flat feet or misaligned heels

1️⃣ Step 1: Measuring Your Child’s Exact Foot Length

• Make sure that your child is standing straight, and then place a measuring tape or ruler below your child’s heels. You must measure your child’s feet while standing, as on weight-bearing the foot becomes longer.

• Measure both feet up to the tip of your child’s longest toe (make sure that your child is not curling his/her toes). You must measure both feet since there is always one foot that is bigger than the other. Keep in mind that your child’s longest toe doesn’t necessarily have to be the big toe — it may in fact be the second or even the third toe.

• Make a note of that measurement in centimeters or inches or email me the image showing the measurements (such as you see below) to avoid confusion with the measurements.

2️⃣ Step 2: Pictures of Your Child’s Foot Width

The pictures below will help me determine whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet.  Also, the pictures will help me see whether your child has a high instep and additional information such as whether your child has flat feet or not. Below you can find examples of how the pictures should look like:

Please note that I won’t need the measurements of your child’s foot width, the images will be sufficient to help me determine whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet.

➡️ Recap – What to Include in Your Email

• Your child’s foot length measurements (or an image of their foot length measurements)
• Three images of your child’s feet (see example images above)
• The country you live in case you need specific shoe recommendations

Feel free to include in your email any additional information I should know about your child’s feet:

fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com

---

Always check if there is a local, family-owned children’s shoe store in your area where you can get your kids properly fitted for shoes. Places such as Nordstrom’s, Payless, or Kohls are not places I would recommend you take your children to be fitted for shoes.

Do You Need a Personalized Shoe Recommendation?

Providing your child with the correct pair of shoes takes more than picking one up from a shelf and trying it on. Finding the correct pair of shoes means providing your children with a shoe style that provides the correct amount of support, and it’s available in the correct shoe length and the correct shoe width. If you can’t seem to find a specific shoe style for your child’s feet please contact me directly and I will send you a list of shoes tailored to your child’s unique foot shape.

What Are Other Parents Saying? – You Are Not Alone!

These are some comments parents had when they found out that all Stride Rite stores were closing:

“I just found out today that my local Stride Rite is closing. Then I found out that all Stride Rite stores are closing. They are going to be online only basically. Does this bother anyone else as much as it bothers me? I like taking my kids in to have their feet measured and pick out shoes. I know a lot of people like ordering shoes online, but the sizing isn’t the same for all shoes and having to send shoes back and wait seems like a bigger pain than going to the store. I’m sorry I’m ranting but I’ve been feeling bummed”.

“They liquidated everything. There is an outlet that’s 45 minutes away but that’s far. My son has wide feet. It’s incredibly hard finding wide shoes. I wish I could boycott the brand, but I don’t have an alternative. I’ve ordered a device to measure to know when to size up”.

“I started buying my kids’ shoes on Amazon. They have some Stride Rite shoes and most have free returns. I just ordered a couple from there, but the wide widths just aren’t consistent. My son has a regular width pair from stride rite that fits him better than the wide width ones. Why does shopping for kids’ shoes have to be so tough?”.

Have you been looking for a new place to shop for your children’s shoes? If you know of a good, independent shoe store in your area please share it below in the comments section so other parents can benefit from your knowledge and experiences.