1790 was when it all began. Way back when, yesteryear, the olden days. Seven generations on and it’s still in the loving hands of the very same family…Wow.
Number 36, Gabriels Hill was the original site, and in 1845 the shop moved to number 25. 35 years later the shop moved yet again to where the ladies department sits now, due to a fire in the Grocers. Poor Mr. Ralph…
Around this same time, workshops opened in Palace Yard, where 20 skilled craftsmen made half of the stock. Along came the famous 6ft golden Wellington boot mounted on the front, and the well known, well-loved brand we have today was established.
Run by father and son team extraordinaire, Lawrence (Chairman) and Ed (MD), this shop has transformed beyond recognition over the many years it’s been fitting and serving shoes to its customers. The Golden Boot now boasts an extensive family shoe shop and dedicated online store, selling men’s, women’s, and children’s shoes from companies in the UK and across the globe. Despite these changes, there is one thing that hasn’t altered since the day the shop first opened; the absolute undeniable love, passion and commitment to providing the shoppers of Maidstone with care, a pair of top quality shoes and a happy, memorable experience. We’ve been doing this for over 225 years now, and have become a leading, independent shoe shop. * puffs out chest*
Now, forgive me if I’ve mentioned this before (I’ve definitely mentioned this before) but the Golden Boot team knows their stuff. Fitting properly is number one, and handpicking brands that work with the same ethos comes in at a close second. This father and son team scours global trade shows and researches trend markets. They visit factories regularly and place the emphasis of their never-ending work on quality, innovation and progression. So you lovely lot can come in, have a coffee, a casual browse and then go home with a wonderful new pair of shoes, after being treated like a King/Queen/Prince/Princess/Maharaja
As part of our Back To School proceedings, we’re going to be introducing you to a few members of our shoe fitting team. Who better to start off with, than Sue? Lovely Sue. This diamond lass has been working for Golden Boot for 45 years. 45 YEARS.
Can we get a round of applause? In fact, and I’m not sure whether Sue knows this, but she fitted my school shoes…amazing isn’t even close.
It was 1971, and this groovy chick with long dark hair heard of a job offer at the shoe shop in town through a friend. After nailing the interview, she went on to work in the children’s department, and here she is now, showing the newbies what’s what, and being a perfectly beautiful example of the family ethos at Golden Boot.
Sue’s favourite part of the job is fitting young children’s shoes, between the ages of four and ten (the cuties- they’re old enough to not fidget so much, and young enough to still believe the mini train in the shop runs on fairy dust). She also loves it when families have come back in for new shoes with their children, and grandchildren. My heart is melting!
Sue’s seen many a transformation and tells me she particularly remembers the change from having one cash desk, to having electric tills in every department. The transition to online shopping was a significant move too. Her most memorable moment however, was receiving a beautiful bracelet for 25 years of service to Golden Boot; a special gift for a special lady.
To prepare you for this summer holiday period, I’ve asked Sue for a couple of top tips. She maintains calm at all times, and never rushes, as this causes mistakes to happen. Sue also recommends always buying well fitting, sturdy and hardwearing shoes for a new year.
Check back in with us next week to find out about more of our team members, and
get more top tips for Back To School…
