Carolyn Fath Ashby
(Shoo) stocks shoes you may not know you need but then can’t live without, says owner Pat Blake.
At (shoo), the shoe store at 109 State St. just off the Capitol Square, co-owner Pat Blake strives to stock iconic brands (think reliable Birkenstock sandals and Sorel boots) along with surprises, like an iridescent pair of P448 sneakers.
“Once you see them, you think ‘that is an amazing shoe,’” Blake says. Even when it comes to the heritage brands that people generally recognize, Blake seeks out lesser-known styles. “We want to introduce people to shoes that they may have never seen before, but then can’t live without.”
(Shoo) opened in Madison in April 2010, five years after Blake opened the original shop with his sister, Kate, in Milwaukee’s Third Ward neighborhood. Blake says that it was Kate’s influence, and growing up with older sisters in general, that made him pay attention to fashion. “I was given an appreciation for looking put-together,” he says.
Blake received a degree in finance from Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and spent five years working as a stock options trader in Chicago before opening (shoo)’s original location. “If you asked me why I decided to open a shoe store I would give you a one-word answer,” Blake says. “Sister.”
Today Kate acts as the store’s buyer and runs the Milwaukee store, while Blake handles the finances and oversees the Madison location. At this small family business with 15 to 20 employees, everything — from market research, photography and advertising — is done in-house.
The Blakes also operate a website, selling brands that can be hard to find, including All Black and Ilse Jacobsen, to customers all over the world. But it’s the shops that are the heart and soul of the company. “Our brick-and-mortars are so important to us,” Blake says.
Over 14 years, Blake has seen trends come and go. “The TOMS classic slip-on was so big for us back in 2012,” he says. “We once sold 100 pairs in a day at a special event where an artist was painting them.” Now (shoo) has phased out the slip-on, but carries TOMS wedge sandals and ankle-high Chelsea boots.
Another brand that has evolved is Sorel, once known only for its technical outdoor boots. “That brand has come into a whole new realm of fashion with urban sensibilities,” Blake says. “Like putting grippy rubber soles on a hot sandal.”
Blake predicts the trend of animal prints and “fuzzy fur” on shoes will continue, along with platform wedge soles. “We can’t keep them in stock,” he says.
While (shoo) has a cool vibe and fashion-forward footwear, Blake wants everyone to feel welcome in the store. “We are not pretentious — that isn’t our thing,” he says. “I’m not going to correct anyone over the pronunciation of a shoe brand.”
In addition to selling shoes, (shoo) is an art gallery of sorts, with etchings from printmaker Ray Maseman high on the walls and recycled bike-part jewelry from Milwaukee’s Becky Tesch in a glass case.
A selection of clothes can be found too — “warm and cozy, in between high-end and super casual,” Blake says. Wisconsin-themed T-shirts for kids and adults include styles from bookish Out of Print, sustainable screen prints from Milwaukee’s Orchard Street Press and macabre takes on state culture from Wiskullsin. But don’t overlook the collection of vintage resale clothes in the shop’s basement; all of the pieces are hand-picked by (shoo) staff. (Shoo) also sells adult accessories including hats, scarves, totes and purses.
Fun socks from companies like Funatic, Sock It to Me and K. Bell are favorites of Blake’s — because there isn’t much that is less pretentious than wearing socks with, say, raccoons on them. “Trash pandas!” Blake says with a laugh.
(Shoo)
109 State St.; 608-467-6325; shoostore.com
