Gotskind's Helps Kids Start Out on a Good Foot

The reason why the old lady who lived in a shoe was able to live so comfortably with all those kids? Chances are, she bought her shoe at , where for 75 years, this family-owned business has been tailoring to the soles, and souls, of the Chicago area.

Gotskind's, at 115 W. Jefferson, has been serving the Naperville community for 27 years. Prior to that, they had locations in Chicago, Oak Park and Oak Brook.

"We are a dinosaur as far as stores go," said David Gotskind, the store's owner. "But that doesn't mean we are going to disappear. There are so few stores that do what we do. Our customers want to go to a store where their kids are taken care of and the staff know what they are doing."

Gotskind's wife, Gail, works alongside him at the store.

"We carry quality merchandise and always try to give our customers very good service," Gail Gotskind said. "People can trust the fit of their kids' shoes when they buy them here. And what is more important then a good fitting pair of shoes?"

In addition to an extensive line of children's shoes, Gotskind's also carries kids' clothing.

"We carry nicer things," David Gotskind said. "What we offer are things that are a little more special ... not things you would wear to play in the back yard. They are special occasion clothes, worth the extra money that won't look bad after two wearings." 

Gotskind's, however, is more then shoes and clothes. One of the store's most popular items are head wraps, with 14,000 of them sold in the last two years. Priced at $13, they said they make excellent gift ideas during the holiday season.

And last year, Gotskind's sold about 3,000 Pillow Pets. This year they will be stocking Pillow Pet hats, which they expect to be big sellers as well.

With school starting soon, the store suggests making your list now.

"The whole key to back-to-school shopping is to get it done as early as possible so kids still have a selction to choose from," David Gotskind said. "Companies today aren't carrying as [many] items as they used to, so if we run low, or run out, we may not be able to get any more. So even though the kids are still in sandals and summer shoes, get their fall shoes now."

Andrea Hamad, the Gotskind's daughter, works for the family business as well, and echoes her father's sentiments.

"From a financial perspective, if you are buying your shoes from a larger, mass retailer, chances are, you are buying the wrong size, likely too small, that they will quickly outgrow and you will be buying another pair sooner then you expected," she said.

"So you might as well come here, spend a little extra and get them fitted properly. We stand by our shoes. If something happens we will replace them."

The store specializes in hard-to-fit feet, like wide and narrow sizing. David Gotskind has been fitting kids in their shoes for about 55 years, and can look at how a child walks and identify if the shoe needs any adjustments to address any issues they may have.

Over the last five decades he estimates that he has personally fitted about 200,000 pairs of shoes.

Gotskind's also offers customers a frequent footwear club. After purchasing 12 pairs of shoes at full price, you get $25 off the 13th pair.

Dawn Pelter of Naperville, has been shopping for her two kids at Gotskind's for nearly a decade and estimates she's purchased about 40 to 50 pairs of shoes over the years.

"We shop here because of the people who work here," she said. "They know us, they are personable, they are warm, it's like small town. They know the kids and they are great with them. They do a really good job of fitting little kids' feet, which is really important when they are learning how to walk.

"Shopping here has become a tradition, we started out buying their first walker shoes and just became loyal customers. I love this store so much that I have brought family in from out of state here. Both my sisters bought their kids first shoes at this store."

And the respect is mutual.

"We are very lucky to have the nicest customers, with great loyalty who come in and really trust us," Andrea Hamad said. "They come back every season and respond to the idea that we really are a family business and won't treat them like just another face in the crowd. We remember their names and their families."