After all, according to Ajes Shoes and Fashion owner Sara Hubble, “feet grow first and the rest follows”.
Several children outgrow their shoes within months of the purchase.
And she should know, she is the mother of a soon to be 13-year-old who wears size 12 shoes. Luckily she owns a shoe store.
At the Allan St business the owner-operator is recommending Surefit as the “must have’’ item for this school year.
Surefit is an Australian owned company which is now operated by a second generation owner who watched his mother hand stitching shoes in the garage of his family home in Melbourne.
He took over the business in 2002, after his parents had run the business since 1984.
At the Kyabram store Sara and her team offer a range of sizes, from children’s size 10 to adults size 15.
“Kids have bigger feet these days and we have decided to partner up with Surefit,” Sara said.
“They are better quality, last longer and are more comfortable.”
Sara said the passion the company had for its shoes outdid any of the “mass production’’ companies more concerned with quantity rather than quality.
And while most schools will insist on their students wearing laced up or velcro enclosed footwear, there are a few schools in the Kyabram region that still allow the traditional T-bar buckle up school shoe for girls.
“We still stock some of those. A lot of parents prefer their little girls to be wearing T-bars.
“We offer sizing from children’s 10 to a ladies 12 and can get them in for people.
“Just don't leave them too late,” she said.
Sara said the rate of growth in kids’ feet meant the store tended to sell just as many shoes during the year as it did at the start of the year.
“We try and keep stock for the whole year, because they (kids) outgrow the shoe,” she said.
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