The right fit

Rainbow Sandals and flip-flops are in high-demand these days at Heel and Sole Shoes, which has been under new stewardship since March, when sisters Adriana and Gloria Covarrubias (pictured, left to right) purchased the Chico business at 708 Mangrove Ave. The pair call the store their second home, having both worked there for a combined total of more than two decades. The sisters, who spent parts of their childhood in Mexico before moving to Butte County, want to keep in the store’s tradition of carrying a wide selection of brands and styles. They also want to offer programs that cater to the community’s needs. Adriana, wearing a pair of Mia sandals that share her namesake, and Gloria, wearing a pair of Steve Madden high-top sneakers, recently joined this Converse-wearing writer to share their thoughts.

Why did you purchase the store?

Adriana: Ever since I was little, I wanted to be my own boss. I always wanted to own a business. I always knew that was going to happen. I just didn’t know how it was going to happen. Heel and Sole was there. The opportunity was there. I had a great partner to do it with, and, you know, we both jumped right in.

How does the store stand out?

Adriana: It’s such a store that’s full of shoes. It’s a unique place to be. It’s not something that you see everywhere. People come in and they’re like, “I’ve never seen a store like this.” And they love the fact that we have such a great selection. We definitely have loyal customers. We’ve had people come in and say, “Thank you for keeping the store open.”

What are your plans moving forward?

Gloria: We have a lot of plans, but, right now, we’re taking it one day at a time. Our biggest focus is bringing back the brands that customers want to see. I think that [previous owner Rick Stuelpnagel] sold through a lot of his inventory, and sometimes people are coming in asking for brands that he didn’t even carry. We just got in some Pumas, some Under Armour. We got in a couple of Nikes, Converse. I mean, people keep asking for something else, so, we’re like, “OK, we’ll try it.”

Is that how you keep up with trends?

Gloria: Yeah. Customers’ suggestions a lot of the time. They will come in and ask, “Do you carry this?” You hear it enough times where you’re, “OK, we’ll look into it and see what we can do.” There’s brands we’re still working on. But if the customer is asking for it, then we’re going to do our best to bring in what people are asking for.

What should people know about Heel and Sole?

Gloria: We’re a local-owned company. We plan on doing a lot of different programs … with work shoes and shoes for nurses. And if anybody has any ideas of how we can help … we’re more than happy to hear that and look for solutions. I know it’s shoes, but it’s a big part of people’s lives.