A conversation with Christine Davis of Coolest Shoes in California at their retail location in Carlsbad Village, California.
Founded: August, 2008.
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BAKES: What made you decide to open up a retail store in Carlsbad Village?
DAVIS: In August, 2011, after selling our shoes at street fairs, boat shows, expos, health fairs and special events for three years, we decided it was time to choose a brick and mortar retail site to better serve our customers. I have lived in North San Diego County for the past 40 years, 25 of which have been in Carlsbad.
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BAKES: What makes your business unique? What distinguishes what you do from other businesses in your industry?
DAVIS: What makes us unique is that we are not just a shoe store…our motto is “Where Comfort & Style Finally Meet.” First and foremost, every shoe we sell has to be comfortable. And, we don’t have to sacrifice style in order to have a comfortable shoe in our store.
We offer shoes for men, women and children. Most of our shoes are lightweight and some are even machine washable. All of our shoes offer a comfort feature such as a memory foam insole; a cushioned, egg crate foot bed; or a yoga mat sole. We even carry a line of shoes designed by a podiatrist that provide a built-in orthotic for people who need arch support. We provide comfortable shoes with the active, California lifestyle in mind.
BAKES: What are some of the things you would like San Diego residents to know about your business that they may not already know?
DAVIS: I am very proud to say that we are a women-owned business and that we were recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year in 2011 by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. Since our goal is to put the customer in the perfect shoe, not to just sell shoes, we now receive numerous referrals from our customers who want to share what we have to offer. It’s wonderful that we are recognized for being so much more than just a shoe store…we feel we are a perfect match for Carlsbad Village!
BAKES: What is your opinion of the local economy?
DAVIS: I believe the local economy is healing itself…that people will still pay for a quality product…people are not necessarily willing to buy frivolous things right now, but they are willing to buy value, which is what we offer. Our tourism industry and number of visitors from out of town are strong…people are coming to Carlsbad Village for vacation. Our tourism industry supports the retailers in the Village of Carlsbad, so we need to really take care of our tourists.
BAKES: What other types of businesses would you like to see in the Village?
DAVIS: I would love to see a card and gift shop…how about a shoe repair shop, a movie theater playing contemporary movies…
BAKES: Do you have any closing comments?
DAVIS: I would encourage everyone to shop small and patronize the independent businesses so that we don’t go the way of the big box stores…come into the village and establish relationships with your local retailers and enjoy what we have to offer!
For more information, please visit www.coolestshoesincalifornia.com. To contact Chris or Jenn at their store, please call (760) 730-3700 or e-mail info@coolestshoesincalifornia.com.
The author, George Bakes, is a real estate broker in the Del Mar office of Coldwell Banker, 2651 Via De La Valle, Del Mar, CA 92014, (858) 602-2799, george.bakes@coldwellbanker.com, www.georgebakes.net.
