HYDE PARK SHOE STORE SNAGS TOP RANKING
Hyde Park Shoe Store Snags Top Ranking
BY WENDELL HUTSON, Contributing Writer
A black-owned shoe store in Hyde Park recently won top honors as the number one independent retail shoe store in Illinois and ranked 13 nationally.
Wesley’s Shoes was recognized as best in Illinois during the recent 2019 Gold Medal Service Awards sponsored by Footwear Insight, a trade magazine for footwear sellers. Other Illinois shoe stores that ranked in the top 50 were Ahh Comfort Shoes in Arlington Heights, and Miroballi Shoes in Orland Park. Wesley’s Shoes was also the only minority-owned shoe store to make the top 50 ranking.
Located inside the Hyde Park Shopping Center at 1506 E. 55th St. is Wesley Shoe’s, a family-owned retail store, founded in 1970 by the late Rev. Alvin J. Wesley. And according to Bruce Wesley, store owner, Wesley’s Shoes is the oldest independent, black-owned shoe retailer in the country.
“While we have been nominated three times before for a service award, this is the first time we actually won,” said Wesley, 57. “But I plan to be number one next year and every year thereafter.”
According to Footwear officials, Wesley’s Shoes was the only Chicago shoe merchant to make the covenant list and received 97 out of 100 points.
Shoes sold at Wesley’s Shoes include gym shoes, boots, casual shoes, dress shoes, sandals, socks, and other clothing accessories like coats, hats, gloves, and purses for men, women and children. Prices for shoes range between $100 to $300 and Wesley said customers could also purchase items online at wesleysshoes.com.
“We import shoes from all over the world so there’s a lot to choose from at our store,” he added.
And since working at the store as a teenager with his father, Wesley, a Beverly resident, said he has seen many challenges for minority-owned businesses and funding is one of them.
“Funding has always been one of the biggest challenges in this business because vendors want their money on-time,” he said. “If you are new on the ‘block’ some vendors will try to make you pay for your merchandise upfront when normally you receive the merchandise on credit and pay later.”
The South Side business employs eight part-timers and is open seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Wesley’s Shoes also offers a free, shoe-tying class for kids from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the second Saturday each month.
As far as expanding the business, Wesley said that is not part of his immediate plans unless an opportunity to do so comes forward.
“Brick and mortar stores are fading out and the overhead can be expensive. I’d rather focus more on improving our online sales for the future,” said Wesley. “But you never know what can happen in the next five years so we’ll see how things go.”
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