Altrincham shoe shop Jake Shoes will mark half a century in business this Saturday with a day of free drinks, giveaways and entertainment.
Open from 9.30am to 5.30pm, the George Street independent will offer free beer and Prosecco all day, Gran T's coffee and a slice of Nell's Pizza with every purchase, children's entertainer (between 1pm and 3pm), and an opportunity to spin a wheel to claim discounts on shoes and prizes from other local businesses.
Jake Shoes is the definition of a family business, having been originally started by the grandmother of current owner Maisy. It opened its Altrincham shop in November 2017.
And to mark the occasion, we have spoken to the three generations of the Bland family who have helped it to flourish: founder Carol, son Jake and grand-daughter Maisy.
Carol
ALTRINCHAM TODAY: What inspired you to open Jake Shoes in the first place?
CAROL: When we were younger, Ken and I would always go to London on shopping trips to buy ourselves shoes. We always picked unusual styles and were frequently complimented for them and asked where we had got them from. At the time there weren’t really any independent shoe shops around and everyone was buying the same boring things from the big chain stores. We wanted to fill this gap in the market!
AT: How did you go from selling shoes in your hairdressing salon to opening a dedicated shop?
CAROL: On our next trip to London we decided to buy some platform knee-length boots in lots of bright colours: green, red, silver, metallic pink! Ken built me a little display for them in my hairdressing salon and we were off! I would be in the salon spending 2 hours doing a perm that would earn me £3, and then I would get interrupted to sell a pair of boots for £12.99! It didn’t take long for us to realise a shoe shop was the way forward!
AT: Did you ever imagine Jake Shoes would still be thriving 50 years later?
CAROL: I don’t think we ever looked 50 years ahead, but it is incredible to think that what started as a little idea to bring a bit of colour to the high street is now an established family business in its third generation.
AT: What advice did you give to Jake when he took over the business?
CAROL: We didn’t have to give Jake any advice at all as he had always worked in the store with us since he was a little boy – I’m sure you’ve all seen the pictures! He always came along with us to buy the stock for the shops too and we would always choose very similar shoes as Maisy now does too. Maybe the one lesson we learnt is that whilst bright coloured boots are fun, it’s important to stock some classic styles too.
Jake
AT: What’s your first memory of Jake Shoes?
JAKE: I’ve worked in the shops for as long as I can remember (through choice!) and so I don’t have a particular memory of my first time there, but I do remember my first buying trips. I was very young and me, my mum and dad all went to London in the van to buy stock from wholesalers in the East End followed by the famous Brick Lane Bagels as a treat. We brought it all back to the shop I’d sell it to customers then it was me that bought them, when really it was probably my parents! I also remember when we used to sell jelly shoes and my job was to sit outside the shop with them in the sunshine selling them to passers-by!
AT: You grew up in the business – what was it like working in the shop as a child?
JAKE: I loved working in the shop as a child, but I would get frustrated when customers laughed at me because they didn’t really think I was working there!
AT: What do you think has been the secret to Jake Shoes' success over the decades?
JAKE: I think a big key to our success has been how reliable we have always been. When you come to Jake Shoes you know you are going to walk away with a good pair of shoes – be it a well-fitted pair of school shoes, a sturdy pair of boots or something that little bit different!
I think it’s also important to note that nearly every member of our family has worked in the shops at some point! My auntie currently runs the Altrincham store and this dynamic has meant we have built up a great relationship with our customers. It’s something we’re really proud of and which means we have customers who come back and support us year on year.
AT: What’s your favourite shoe brand or product you’ve ever stocked – and why?
JAKE: My favourite brand is still Timberland - we were the first UK independent shop to stock them, and I’ve personally had so many different pairs over the years. The classic 6” boot is still my favourite as it’s seen so many resurrections over time!
I remember the days when we used to have huge truckloads of their boots delivered to us at the back of our Stockport shop and within weeks another would turn up. Even Timberland’s head office couldn’t believe how many we sold – in fact we sold so many (the most of any shop in the UK!) that they came to check out we weren’t doing anything dodgy! They soon realised we were just really good at selling shoes!
Maisy
AT: You’ve been around the shop since you were a child – what’s your earliest memory of working there?
MAISY: When I was 8 years old, I remember working in our old Manchester King Street store. Dawn (the manager of our Altrincham store who you all know and love) would pick me up every Saturday morning and I would run around selling Crocs and getting paid in chocolate! Fast forward a couple of years and I was working between our Manchester Arndale and Stockport sites and joining my dad on buying trips to pick out new stock for the upcoming seasons!
AT: What excites you the most about the business now you are running it?
MAISY: I love that I get to spend so much time in the stores chatting to our customers, so that when I head out to buying appointments I can pick out shoes with them in mind. It’s really satisfying putting together a range that I am confident will have something for everyone, and also to throw in some surprises! I have some really fun bold prints and sparkly shoes on their way this summer and I can’t wait to see the reaction to them!
AT: What kind of year has the Altrincham shop had?
MAISY: In the lead up to our 50th anniversary, the Altrincham store has had a super positive year. We have had lots of new shops opening around us and it has been great to see some new faces around the town. It has also been lovely catching up with our regular customers who have supported us for years and are excited to see a local, family-run independent business celebrating such a big milestone.
AT: What’s your vision for the future of Jake Shoes?
MAISY: I am excited to keep trading in towns that champion independent retailers and where we have a supportive customer base who are open to exploring new footwear trends. Stocking boots that push fashion boundaries and bring a bit of colour to the high-street is part of the Jake Shoes DNA and it’s something I never want to lose.
AT: What’s the most rewarding part of running a family business?
MAISY: There are so many things I love about my job and the team I get to work with every day, but one of the most rewarding parts of running a family business is getting to be a part of so many people’s lives.
Almost every day we hear stories from customers who remember getting their first school shoes fitted with us when they were little, and who are now back buying shoes for their own children or even their grandchildren. There is something so special knowing that Jake Shoes has played its part in so many families lives and will continue to do so for years to come.
