Spotlight Reviews
-- our Success Stories
Wavy Footprints
3961 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 285-3668
www.wavyfootprints.com
I first visited Wavy Footprints in San Francisco’s Noe Valley, the day after I hauled my 2-year old across town to one of the only other children’s shoe stores in the city. It had been a rough trip—the store was crowded, the sales people too hurried to slow down for my tentative daughter. We managed to buy shoes, but Sofia was in tears by the time we left. When I stumbled upon Wavy Footprints the following day, I dearly wished I had postponed that disappointing trip.
Wavy Footprints has one of the best selection of children’s shoes I’ve ever seen, from classic brands for budget-conscious families to favorite European "haute kid-eure" like Elefanten and Baby Bots. The shop brims with a marvelous assortment of accessories, impulse items and, of course, a great selection of socks.
As I looked around, I noticed a number of other elements that made Wavy Footprints a compelling place to shop: a hand-painted mirror hung at kid-height, a child-sized play table with a chalk top (complete with a bucket of assorted chalk) and a couple of wooden animal puzzles. Near the register, a chalkboard sign allows parents to sign-in for service during busy times. Although we didn’t need shoes, I decided to look at rain boot options for the coming season. Sofia settled happily at the play table and started to work on a puzzle. Then I saw it: a changing table in the back corner and, nearby, an over-stuffed armchair where a mother sat comfortably breastfeeding her baby.
As I marveled at this wonderful scene, one of the owners walked over and quietly asked if I needed any assistance. Then, moving quietly and speaking gently, she leaned down to Sofia and said hello. Sofia smiled and continued to play unfazed—a first for my oft-shy girl.
A few days later, I spoke with owners Susan Lytle and Julie Tessener about how they came up with such a great concept for their shop. From the start, they believed that a child-friendly environment was good business. In fact, their mission statement concludes, "We provide a kid-friendly environment for the fun and safety of our customers."
"We want to create an environment that matches our selection of shoes: playful and whimsical," Susan said. Julie added, "Kids are only kids once—they should enjoy their shoes AND shopping for them. We try to treat them respectfully: they’re little human beings, too."
Wavy Footprints is hiring. When I asked about plans to train new employees, they quickly agreed that having a respectful and welcoming attitude towards children is essential and they plan to make this a focus of employee training.
The Wavy Footprints business plan also states, "As a consumer service we will provide an area for changing diapers with all the amenities needed, including changing table with pad, disposable pad cover, diapers, wipes and powder." Susan laughed as she read this. Pointing to the changing table, she said, “It’s all there except the powder. Our customers explained that powders are not necessarily safe for babies, so we scratched that."
I gave Susan and Julie a CFI How-To Kit, and urged them to send in their checklist ASAP. I wanted to see a Child-Friendly Seal of Approval logo on their door right away! Before they sent it in, however, they reviewed the criteria and added a few more amenities to the store including a sturdy stepstool for the bathroom sink. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better!
-- Abby Letteri