What a zoo
My son's toes are about to bust through the one pair of shoes that survived the summer (is my little guy the only one who tore the ankle band off not one, but two pairs of Croc-like Polywog sandals?). I happened to be in Uptown the other day, so I stopped in Shoe Zoo and found myself mystified, as I do every time I walk in there, that a shop selling $80 baby shoes can look like such a mess. I always get excited at first, thinking they must be in the midst of a major clearance event because the boxes are strewn everywhere. But no. Everything was full price. Not that I could find the prices, once I identified the toddler boy shoes, which were behind the salesperson who didn't acknowledge me until I specifically asked for a price. $75 for sneakers that won't last more than months? Can't do it. I went home and ordered dress and play shoes from Oldnavy.com - $24.50 for both and free shipping with my Banana Republic Luxe card.
If you're into designer kiddie shoes, but prefer not to have to step over piles of boxes to shop for them, try Red Rover Kids, Uber Baby, Bebe Babble and of course, Nordstrom.
I'd heard good things about Shoe Zoo and was excited to check it out for the first time last week. What a disaster! Granted, I'm sure they were experiencing the tail end of the back-to-school rush, but it was so messy I could barely maneuver through the store. I would have turned around and walked right back out, but I needed to find a special kind of slipper required by my daughter's preschool. I dug through piles to find the size I needed, paid and left quickly. I don't think I'll be heading back anytime soon.
Posted by: Erika | September 10, 2008 at 09:41 PM
A follow-up to my previous comment: I happened to be in Stillwater last weekend, so I popped into Red Rover Kids. Loved it! Found a great pair of shoes for my preschooler. Thanks for recommending it. I'll also be visiting Stillwater's Autumn Cottage again, to shop for furniture for my kids' rooms.
Posted by: Erika | September 17, 2008 at 05:06 PM
This post is in regards to Erika's comment.
I am curious, what kind of slipper is required at your daughter's preschool, that you have to shop at Shoe Zoo?
And, why would a specific slipper be required at preschool?
Posted by: Marsha | September 24, 2008 at 08:35 AM
I just saw Marsha's comment above, so sorry for my very belated response!
My daughter's preschool requires that kids wear slippers in the classrooms, and strongly urges parents to get slippers with rubber soles and a full back (not mules or anything that can get floppy or fall off easily). Wearing slippers in the classrooms means that the rooms stay cleaner because kids aren't tracking in all sorts of dirt, mud, winter slush, etc. Having slippers with a rubber sole and full back means that the kids can still be active without skidding, slipping or tripping all over the place. Shoe Zoo happens to sell just the right kind, and they're only about $19.
Posted by: Erika | November 03, 2008 at 09:55 PM