Happy Memorial Day

This is one of my favorites.  A dad meeting his daughter for the 1st time.

What a great day to remember how privileged we are to live in a country that is free.
Thank you to all of our troops for your dedication and service.
You are remembered and honored.

Take a look at the Pioneer Woman's photography blog featuring "Coming Home" photos of troops reuniting with their families.  The photos have been posted all week long so there are a lot to look at.

I've never experienced personally what it feels like to have a family member in active service but looking at these pictures can almost make me feel how it would feel to have one come home.

Beautiful!  It renders me speechless.


*photo courtesy of flickr

Forewarning

I wanted to save any of you amateur photoshoppers out there a bit of trouble.  You see...I just got a new MacBook a few months ago.  I don't usually take pictures, let alone photoshop them but I'm experimenting lately to see what that whole world is all about.

Here is my first experiment with the "blemish" feature.

Before:

And After: (trying to get rid of wrinkles on my forehead, turn back time, reduce stress with the click of a mouse...need I go on)

Apparently my wrinkles weren't my only problem.  My eye definitely needed some help.

Nothing like computer-generated blemish reducers to make a girl feel good about herself.

New store mascot

My family is the proud new owners of a little teeny, tiny chihuahua puppy!  He is so cute and lovable.
Because he is so little he has been coming to work with me.  I think he will become the new Sole Obsession mascot.  He is just so fun to have around.  Come by and meet the new little guy sometime.

Check out the story of how we became Yoda's owners on my personal blog.

Wednesday's Are Special

Wednesday's are special
That's plain to see
They fall in the middle
To remind you and me
The weekend is coming
The work week is almost through
Pretty soon you'll be chumming
With all of your crew







This weekend is especially special.
Its a long weekend and the Ski to Sea races, a favorite of Whatcom county residents, are happening on Sunday.  Plus there is an extra day thrown in to unwind and spend time with family and friends.

Sounds good to me.

Start your long weekend off right with a great pair of Merrell sandals.

These versatile strappy sandals can be adjusted for your perfect fit.
Or take off the back strap and you can slip right in.


Available in Citrus or Ginger.
Regular $80

Today only $68!

Aster by Merrell Sizes

size 6 $68.00 size 7 $68.00 size 8 $68.00 size 9 $68.00 size 10 $68.00 size 11 $68.00

Color

Ginger Citrus Option 3

How to know when it's time to replace running shoes...

Zappos had a great article on their blog about knowing 
when to replace your running shoes.    

If it's time for you to get into a new pair of running/walking shoes, let Sole Obsession help you find your perfect fit.  We are highly trained and I am positive we can get you back on the street or treadmill pain free and ready to tear it up!  
(Italics and strike-throughs are my doing ~ sorry Zappos.)

How To Know When It’s Time To Replace Your Running Shoes:

“Running pains slowing you down? Getting the right shoe for your running style is the best way to reduce pains, increase endurance, and make your runs more enjoyable. Lucky for you, Zappos.com Sole Obsession Footwear has one of the largest selections greatest brand of running shoes available! Running shoes need to be replaced between 350 to 500 miles of use. Your style of running, body weight and what surfaces you run on will affect how many miles you can get from a pair of shoes. There are a few ways to check for signs of wear in your shoes. Start by looking at your shoes from behind. If the outsoles are worn down on one side or the other, then it’s probably time to replace your shoes. Next, flip the shoe face down and check for wear areas on the bottom of the sole. Look for excessive wear and tear on the heel and forefoot. The midsole layer provides support and cushioning and is normally the first part that wears out. Alternating between two pairs is a great way to maximize the life of your running shoes. By allowing 48 hours between use of each pair gives the midsole cushioning enough time to recover their shock absorption properties.”

I frequent other shoe lovers blogs to see what they are discovering and enjoying.  One of my favorites is BarkingDogShoes.com. Kristen uses great real life pictures of herself or her friends wearing shoes and testing them out to see what the attributes are.  She is down to earth and writes true to fact reviews from her findings.  While I may not agree with every review or her suggestion to buy shoes online :), I think she does a great job.

I was pleasantly surprised to read her recent review of Clark's new product.  The "Wave" shoe by Clarks is a new technology designed with a rocker sole that "conserves energy, absorbs shock and cushions your joints so walking feels effortless - from the very first step."

Check out BarkingDogShoes review below and them come in to Sole Obsession (not Zappos) and check them out for yourself.
__________________________________________________________________________________

From diminutive size five feet to "solid-foundation" size 12, every woman deserves a comfortable shoe that fits well, supports the foot and looks good while doing so. There's nothing we love more here at BarkingDogShoes.com than a shoe challenge as it motivates us to discover and feature footwear that we might have otherwise overlooked. In your case, we've focused on size, ability to accommodate a custom orthotic and support for your ankles. Here's what we found:

Shoe options:

Clark's Wave.Cruise: The Wave collection is one of Clark's newest offererings with plenty of comfort technologies. Removable Ortholite footbed allows the use of custom orthotics. Rocker heel and toe-off support make for a comfortable walking experience. Sturdy adjustable strap provides support for ankle. Carries Seal of Acceptance from American Podiatric Medical Associaton.  Available in sizes 5-12 and in three widths for $100 from Zappos Sole Obsession Footwear.

Wednesday's are Special ~ Keen shoes

Its Wednesday today
All day
With Wednesday comes a sale
So great it will make you pale
Run, skip, jump, or fly
Just don't walk or this sale will pass you by
There is so much to see, so much to do
Come on in to Sole Obsession before your day is through.

Today ALL DAY we are having a great big special on Keen's for men, women and kids.

• Take  $15 off any Men's or Women's Keen shoes/sandals.  In stock items only.                       (excludes flip flops, includes clearance styles)

• Take $10 off any kid's Keen's and all Keen flip flops.  In stock items only.

If you would like to purchase and do not live near Lynden please call the store and 

we would be glad to assist you over the phone.

(This sale is only offered today, May 19, 2010)

More Laja

My new saying..."Don't judge a book by it's cover, and don't judge a shoe on the shelf."  You really have to try it on and see what it looks like on your foot.  There is no better way to judge than trying it out.  Sometimes it also helps to visualize what you can wear with a certain pair of shoes.  Do you ever see a cute pair of shoes and wonder what you could wear them with?  Wonder no more, Sole Obsession is here to help.  We've got lots of ideas so be sure and ask.

On that note, yesterday I posted about the Born Laja.  Check out what else you can wear with these great summer classic sandals.

(Click on the picture to see a bigger view.)

Shoe of the Week

Buy it online and get $10 off all week 

*Remember to enter "pick up" in the comments section to save the $5 shipping fee

 if you wish to pick your purchase up at the store.

(shipping fee will be refunded at time of pick up)

Survey

Most of us (myself included) don't like to take the time to fill out a survey.
However, since becoming a business owner I have found that I really like getting back the results of a survey so I'm trying to step up my commitment and fill them out when I come across one.

Surveys are a great way to get customer feedback without a potentially uncomfortable face to face dialogue.

For instance, a survey may ask if you are male or female.  It might be a bit awkward if a salesperson asked you that question...
Salesperson: "Excuse me.  Are you a male or female?"

Customer: "Pardon me?  You can't tell by looking at me.  I am never shopping here again."

Try this one...
Salesperson: "Do you like me?"

Customer: "Ummm...I dunno...no...maybe....I've got to go I can hear my husband calling me."

Or...
Salesperson: "Would you be in the 70-80 age range."
Customer: "What?! I'm only 55."

Some of the questions are just not pretty when posed face to face.  It's best to keep things anonymous,  polite, and offensive-free.

So if you don't mind, have time, and haven't already done so, fill out the Sole Obsession survey.  We'd love to hear from you.  See what you are thinking about the store.  And get to know what we can do to improve our service.  (Click here to access the survey.)

Thanks for helping out and saving us that embarrassing face to face survey moment.

Can you remember the last time you measured your feet?

Almost everyday I have customers that say they haven't had their feet measured in years.  Some even say they can't remember the last time.  As a shoe store owner I think this is so weird.  Isn't that the most basic and fundamental part of a shoe store?  To measure feet.  I think it may be slowly becoming a lost art.  Something that people are taking for granted.  But I think it is one of the first things that should happen at a shoe store.

Every day our feet carry the weight of our bodies + everything else that we lug around + endure the stress of the activities we participate in + support us as we exercise (I use the term "we" very loosely here) + age along with the rest of our body.  What all of this equals is strain, stress and CHANGE in our FOOT SHAPE and SIZE.  Wearing the wrong size of shoes can not only cause pain and problems but it can also mean that the arch is in the wrong place and therefore not accurately supporting the foot.

I often bring out shoes for customers that are confident of their shoe size.  During the shoe-trying-on process we end up measuring their feet and find out that:
a. their foot size has changed
b. their foot shape has changed (wide, narrow, etc)
c. that they have two very different feet (most people don't have two feet that measure the same)
d. that their arch length and their foot length are different

All of these points might mean that you are wearing the wrong size of shoe.  So get your foot measured the next time you are in a shoe store.  And ask the person helping you what each foot measures, what your arch length measures, and what shoes would fit your foot best.

As I always say, you only get one pair of feet so it's important to take care of them.  Go measure your feet!

Wednesday's are Special

  

Plaid Scarves ONLY $16

Clay Bracelets ONLY $5
Coin Purses ONLY $7.50

I have a little secret that I've been

meaning to share.  

We're expanding our inventory a bit.  

We've added some cute purses, wallets, scarves, bracelets, and other fun things. 

Come by sometime and take a peak at some of our new things. 

   

Striped Scarf ONLY $20

Check out the Namaste line.
We are carrying the Mini Clutch, the Wallet, the Buddy Case,
and the Monroe purse.  

The "Monroe Purse" ~ Keeping you organized and in style.
ONLY $75.00

The "Buddy Case" for all the little things that get lost in your purse.
ONLY $14.50

The "Mini Clutch" ~ Use with or without the shoulder strap: as a wallet or a purse.
ONLY $39.50

The "Wallet"
ONLY $39.50

This week we are featuring a few of our new accessories during the 
Wednesday's are Special sale.

• $5 OFF the "Buddy Case"
• $7 OFF the "Wallet" and the "Mini Clutch"
• $10 OFF the "Monroe" purse 

*Due to the large amount of items for sale today we are not offering the Paypal "Buy Now" option.  Feel free to call the store to make your purchase.  We can accept credit card payment over the phone and ship your purchase directly to you.  Happy Shopping!

Egads...I forgot

I completely forgot to update the Shoe of the Week page this morning.  Check it out because I have now.  This week's feature, the Sela by Dansko.  So comfortable and ready to wear all day, every day.

Sun, oh beautiful sun

Fashion is a funny business.  Even the best of the best don't bat 100% all the time.  You cannot always predict exactly what people will buy, what they will want, and what they will need.

I think the weather has a lot to do with this.  And that is why today I am relieved to see some sun.  There is nothing more frustrating in the shoe biz then a store full of sandals and having to turn on the heat because it's cold and rainy outside.  That makes for a very difficult sale.  The expression "Spring is just around the corner" can really only go so far.  The reality is, Spring has been holding out on me ever since I dogged on the ground hog's prediction only to be fooled by my own optimism.  But not anymore.  Today I see sun and only sun.  I love Mr. Sun.

So for all of you who have come in, browsed, and then said, "I think I'll come back when we have some sun."  Today is your day.  We have sun.  Yes, it may be a bit cool still but I think we're do for a sunny stretch.

(The above styles available at Sole Obsession Footwear.)

Wednesday's are Special

You won't find a deal like this anywhere but here.

The Born Funi for 42% off regular price.  

It's crazy, it's unheard of, and it's here at Sole Obsession.  

The Funi is perfect for weddings, summer parties, church, and everything in between.  Tell your friends, your neighbors, your aunts, cousins, and sisters because at this price, these won't last long.

Available in sizes 6-10 whole sizes only.  Black, Turquoise, and White.

Born Funi

Size 6 $55.10 Size 7 $55.10 Size 8 $55.10 Size 9 $55.10 Size 10 $55.10

Color choice

Regular Price $95.00.

Barefoot Day Winner

I posted on Barefoot day that if you came into the store barefoot, you'd be entered to win a $40 gift card to Sole Obsession Footwear.  I had 2 brave souls that came to see me shoe-less.  I was very proud of them.
These two brave ladies are...

Torey ~ my pedicurist and Jerrie ~ my barefoot day coffee companion

         

                                  

To pick the winners I used this great tool at classtools.net.

I put the names in three times and the best 2 out of 3 won...Drum Roll please.....

The winner is Torey!

Congratulations Torey.  You can stop by anytime and pick up your $40 gift card.

Torey did my nails for Barefoot Day, and she did an awesome job.  Here's some shots of Torey in action.  If you are looking for someone to do your toes, give her a call.  She's the best in town!  

Torey works at Mane Styles on Front Street and 3rd.  You can make an appointment by calling (360) 318-8867.

(Photos of Torey courtesy of the Snapsisters.  Photo of Jerrie courtesy of moi.  The photography skills obviously vary slightly.  Sorry Jerrie.)

(To Jerrie:  I'm sorry you didn't win.  I still hold a special place in my heart for you.  Thank you for joining me on Barefoot Day so I didn't feel like a total weirdo.)