LIMA — You haven’t seen many shoes like this before in area shops.
That’s the business plan for the co-owners of Shoe Fetish, a new shoe and accessory boutique that held its grand opening Thursday in Lima Center on Elida Road.
Co-owners Demont Watkins, Natasha Mears and Jill Whitmore wanted to bring something to the city it didn’t have before: an upscale, trendy shop for people who love shoes. The three are natives who left the city and returned, committed to the idea of the shop.
“As someone who’s come back to the community, it’s been neat to partner with everyone here. We love shoes. We love clothing. We wanted something fun,” Mears said. “We put a lot of thought into the store.”
The store is at 2720 Elida Road, down from Hobby Lobby. It is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and closed Sunday. Call 419-222- SHOE (7463) for details.
The owners are visiting merchandise shows in Las Vegas, Chicago and New York to purchase merchandise for spring, summer and fall.
“We wanted something hip, something upscale, different,” Mears said. “People here do wear these shoes, but now, they have to go out of town or go online to get them.”
The shop currently carries women’s shoes, purses and accessories and will open its men’s line this spring, Mears said. The owners would also like to expand to other locations.
The Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce welcomed the shop with a grand opening ribbon cutting Thursday.
“These are fine products,” chamber President Jed Metzger said. “We hope you grow and flourish, and we’re glad you’ve brought this store to Lima.”
