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POMPTON LAKES - After 60 years, shoe store owner to close doors
(by Leslie Scott - Staff Writer - May 21, 2008)
POMPTON LAKES - For decades, The Shoe String has had entire families walking in comfort.
Now after operating this store on Wanaque Avenue for 24 years, store owner Lucy Sama has made a date to kick up her own feet and retire.
Sama brought The Shoe String from a previous owner back in 1984 when shopping on Wanaque Avenue still was popular for many people from surrounding communities.
Even with the closings of many of the popular department stores, The Shoe String managed to keep a step ahead.
“I’m not making a lot of money, but I’m OK. I was making enough to survive. Now it is time to just let it go,” Sama said.
The Shoe String has been a fixture of Wanaque Avenue for at least 60 years. Sama bought the business from someone and she made an attempt to resell it.
Sama has been planning her exit for more than a year. She has had her business on the market for 18 months but no one has approached with an offer.
Her Realtor told her many prospects have stopped by to look at the store, but no one has come forward and asked her any questions about the business while she was there.
Sama said that business owners today want to find a location that is right off the highway and frequently traveled.
Sama is familiar with all the benefits of working in small downtown area that are not available along the busy highways.
“Somebody that has a family can work this store in a downtown area like this. It’s got its good points because you are able to put a sign on the door and say something is going on and people understand, versus if you are in a mall, people are not going to understand – you’d better be open all the time. In a downtown area like this, people get to know you and people will come back.”
She said she always felt safe in her store and she knows she will miss it.
“I’m going to miss being here. That I can tell you, and I know my customers will miss me being here. I became friends with the customers,” said Sama.
She said customers remember playing on a large toy train at the store in their younger days and they often come back with their own children and look for it.
When Sama bought the business, a toy train was inside, and when she moved the store to a smaller location on Wanaque Avenue, she brought a piece of the train with her.
“I have people who came here 40 years ago and they would say I don’t know if it was you but I remember the train. That is like a staple for The Shoe String, and now they bring their kids to play on the train,” said Sama.
The Shoe String carried a large selection of comfort shoes. Sama said when customers left her store, they knew they were going home with something that fit.
Those who stop by now can find everything marked 20 to 70 percent off.
Barbara DiAngelis of Riverdale has been a regular customer for as long as she can remember. She came by the store early to take advantage of the big sales going on there.
DiAngeles walked out of the store with four pairs of shoes last week.
Patricia Deubel of Pompton Lakes is another longtime customer. She stopped by one afternoon to check out Sama’s big closing sale as well.
“I don’t buy a lot but I do get special shoes when I need them,” said Deubel.
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