Bootery

Three and a half stars. So here’s the downside: as a somewhat small non-​chain shop in the mall, their inventory is a gamble in terms of having a desirable stocked and in your size– plan for browsing time to sift through the shelves. Brands vary. Organization isn’t super consistent, and strongly correlates to how recently a whirlwind customer passed through. Half the styles on display aren’t very chic, particularly in the clearance side room where you may not even find the other half of a shoe pair. I liked zero of the ballet flats, and in all? There were only half a dozen options I even coveted. Interior’s basic and little drab, but there’s a couple mirrors, and enough lighting and seating to shop by. Disposable nylon hose weren’t stored in an immediately obvious location, but were promptly offered on request.
What really makes me round up is the Geppetto behind the counter who’s straight up gangsta at his job. Not too pushy a merchant, but capable of delivering a polite compliment and closing a sale. He agreed that the fit on what I was trying on wasn’t quite right, and whisked it away to work some magic. I walked in looking for a pair of boots and instead walked out with some dope refitted heels (on sale at 75% of what it would’ve cost at a more urban distributor), a grin on my face, and zero regrets from my wallet.

I was «unfortunate» enough to stumble upon this institution with my mother while waiting for the rest of our party to arrive in Salem for a trip to the PEM. She is an absolute shoe hound, and sold shoes for many many years, so she knows a good proprietor and a good deal when she sees it. I say unfortunate because she immediately marveled at the selection, especially the hard to find designer brands, and ran around the store trying to find me the perfect shoe. We left with at least 3 pairs at deep discount, We then brought my aunts back after going to the museum because they loved what we had so much. Needless to say, we are all looking forward to our next trip to the north shore.

While I agree with some previous reviewers that you could likely get similar footwear at a lower price via TJ Maxx or Marshall’s, it won’t come with the service you get at The Bootery. The service alone is deserving of five stars, and the selection is fantastic. Styles range from old lady shoes (a la i-​walk-​to-​work-​so-​need-​some-​ugly-​comfy-​shoes) to fashionable boots, sandals, clogs, flats, and incredible name brands at reasonable prices.
I’ll definitely be going back. And you should, too!

Disclaimer: I love shoes!
I have popped in here about a dozen times and have left empty-​handed every time.
Why? While the store carries name brands (overstocks and closed-​out items, I think) there’s a very limited selection of styles and sizes.
In addition, prices are high. You would do better in terms of selection and price at TJ Maxx, or a sale at a fine department store.
I keep trying to like this place and give local biz my money, but this place comes up short.