Eight-year-old Michelle Raue of Clarkston was seeking her first pair of the popular Crocs children’s sandal. Raue spotted the popular footwear, in ‘cotton candy? pink, through the window pane of Main Shoes Aug. 1.
Raue and her mother, Brenda, weren’t in downtown Birmingham or at the mall, but Independence Township in the White Lake Commons plaza, where Main’s is bringing a new shoe market to town.
Owner Steve Main, a longtime Clarkston resident, was eager to bring his third location to his hometown.
‘I always thought the Clarkston area needed an upscale, full-service shoe store,? Main said.
‘It beats driving to Somerset (Mall).?
Located at 7113 Dixie Highway, the shoe store opened in late May for business. Main’s purchased the two other locations, one in Birmingham and another in Grosse Pointe, under the name Sherman Shoes, in 1997.
Main Shoes carries mens?, womens? and children’s shoes in such brands as Dansko, Timberland, New Balance, Stride Rite, Rockport and Berkenstock.
Main is counting on the customer-friendly nature of his sales staff and the store’s full-service approach to shoe sales.
‘You don’t even get that service in a department store anymore,? Main said. ‘People have forgotten what full-service is like.?
Brenda Raue appreciated the space the 7,000-square-foot store had to offer as she looked for shoes with her daughter.
‘We heard about the huge store. It’s very spacious and that’s very nice,? she said. ‘If I feel closed in, I tend not to go back.?
While in negotiations concerning the building, Main had the choice of only taking one of the available spaces, but chose two so his store could be more comfortable for customers.
‘Most of the time, people are used to walking around in a crowded space,? Main said.
Once customers are in the store, they should be impressed by its selection, in addition to the service standards and layout of the location.
‘We have the best in the industry for the price, style and comfort,? Main said.
Main is looking forward to the shoe store giving back to the community through shoe trade-ins and donations. ‘We want to be very involved with the community,? he said.
Main Shoes, 7113 Dixie Highway, is open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Mon.-Wed., 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Thurs. and Fri., 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sat. and noon ? 5 p.m. Sun. The store can be reached at 248-625-3232.