The Best Kids’ Shoe Stores in the United States – Where to go for Proper Fittings

Are you having a hard time finding a reliable children’s shoe store in your area? While it might be challenging to find a specialized children’s shoe store that meets your children’s needs, is accessible, and reliable, it is not an impossible!

I get contacted by parents from all over the United States on a daily basis asking me if I know of a good children’s shoe store in their area. Did you know that children’s shoes come in narrow, wide and extra wide widths? The reason I ask you this is that places like Nordstrom’s, Foot Locker and Payless don’t seem to carry shoes in different widths.

The stores I recommend below are not big retail chains, but rather locally owned shoe stores specializing in measuring and fitting children’s shoes.

Can’t Find a Shoe Store in Your Area?

If you don’t find a children’s shoe store in your area, please let me know in the comments section below or contact me via email, and I can tell you which one is the closest to where you live.

Email: fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com 

How to Retrieve Your Child’s Foot Length and Shape from Home

If you live in an area without a store specializing in proper fit, please refer to my article explaining how to measure your kids’ feet from home. In that article I help parents determine their child’s exact foot size and whether the child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet. I also will be able to tell you whether your child has a high instep or not.

The Advantages of Buying Shoes at Your Local Shoe Store

1️⃣ Specialization – We Know Exactly What We Are Doing

You are already at a store that specializes in what you are looking for: children’s shoes, in this case.

There is no corporate buyer making the calls as to what is to offer for fitting children. For instance, at the store I work for, we have a particular person ordering/buying specific brands and specific shoe styles.  It’s as straightforward as that.  There is no corporate tower dictating what brands and shoes should go in our store based on geographic demographics.

We are independent and able to order our own shoe brands, and we can choose the ones that offer shoes in different widths. For example, certain shoes come in different widths such as medium, wide, and extra wide.  We choose to order these shoes because we know children’s feet come in different shapes, and we must have every single width to accommodate their feet.

The staff that is hired at independent stores is not made up of vague sales associates. We are trained in fitting shoes, brand knowledge, and high-end customer service. We know precisely who we work for and it really and truly forms a bond, a commitment to excellence and delivering the best results for customers and the store.

Stores usually tend to pay a higher salary and provide medical insurance to employees, which allows the store to retain them for longer periods of time, creating a family atmosphere. Customers value walking into a store where they recognize the faces. We work with our store’s vision.  We’re not a brand, we’re an independent retailer.

2️⃣ We Enjoy What We Do – Incentives Not Based on Commission

This is a key differentiation between the independent retailer versus chain retailers. At independent stores, the commission doesn’t necessarily motivate the staff.  This sets the tone for the store’s staff and encourages/insists.  The sell-sell-sell model is completely demoralizing, in my humble opinion, for both the employees and the customers. Rather, we are providing a basic function: outfitting your children with shoes.

We work with the foot, and thus are interested in the fit. We can’t have your child walking away with shoes that pinch their toes or leave their heels chaffed.  We’re here to outfit your children for school, play, and special occasions.  The bottom line of independent stores is more often than not customer satisfaction and fostering meaningful relationships between staff and customers.

3️⃣ Vision and Versatility – We Truly Care About Your Kids’ Feet!

You will find a different and unique vision for every independent retailer rather than a large overarching vision that has to fit the mold of hundred to thousands of stores nationwide and in some cases, globally. Our store’s vision is simple: Provide outstanding customer service and fit your children’s feet with the most responsible and knowledgeable approach possible.

We hand-selected what our team considers to be the best for our vision – the best fitting shoes for children and the best shoes to fit the different parts of their lives (school, play, special occasions).

4️⃣ Personalized Attention – The Bond Is Real!

What’s so special about independent retailers is the personalized attention each customer is guaranteed. Customers come back and refer their friends and family to shop at a store like the one I work for based on the quality of our service, from fitting to brand knowledge even to fashion advice.

I have formed bonds with the customers, not only the parents but the children as well.  In some cases, I will see the family four, maybe five times a year, but when they come through that door it feels like I am being reunited with an old friend.

These families are placing their complete trust in me with their children’s feet and I must use all my expertise so that children can move around in comfortable, well fitted sh

Do you have a trusted children’s shoe store in your area that I haven’t mentioned? If you happen to have one, please let us know in the comments section below, so we can all benefit from your experiences.