Take a Shine to Felts

Felts Shoes in the Ne-Mar Center offers high-quality products and individualized service for the entire family.

Tabitha Felts, owner of Felts Shoes.

Claremore schools start a bit ­early this year on August 9. With the rapidly approaching date looming over their heads, ­parents buying school and ­athletic shoes for their kids might be tempted to adhere to the idiom, "any port in a storm," rushing out to buy new shoes for approaching school days and ball games. But when it comes to buying shoes, it pays to take a ­little bit of extra time and care to get just the right fit for those developing feet.

“If your feet are not happy, your body is not happy,” Tabitha Felts of Felts Shoes in Claremore says. That is why she has become an expert on shoes and how they affect the feet, and wants to make sure customers have not only the best shoe, but the best fit possible for their optimum health and wellbeing. “If people aren’t happy with their shoe, they usually don’t blame the ­vendor. They blame the person who sold them the shoe,” she relates. “I want people to be ­happy with their purchase.”

Research proves Tabitha's point. According to an article about walking shoes on the Mayo Clinic website, it is not only important to wear the right type of shoe for different occasions, such as walking, running or working, but it is important to follow certain guidelines to get the best fit. The experts urge readers to consider the shape of their feet and arch type when buying a shoe and to make sure they consult a professional fitter, who will measure their feet each time they buy shoes, as foot size changes over the years not only in children, but in adults as well.

This is why it is important to visit a store such as Felts Shoes, where a true professional like Tabitha can help guide you through the steps in finding the perfect shoe for your foot. She knows that common foot ­problems – corns, bunions and hammertoe – can often be traced right back to a poorly fitted shoe. Other more subtle issues can also be caused by incorrect fit as well, including knee, ankle, back and hip pain. She encourages customers to allow her or a staff member to measure their foot to get a correct size, instead of just making assumptions, and to be willing to invest a little bit extra in order to get a quality brand shoe. She reports that many ­people will skimp on shoes for work especially, since those shoes will get a lot of wear and tear. But it is the wear and tear on the whole body from the work day that makes Tabitha advise the customer to rethink this decision. “When you are on your feet all day,” she says, “what bothers your feet will bother your whole body.”

Felts Shoes has its usual wide selection of carefully ­chosen, name brand, quality footwear. Tabitha reports that Sperry and Vibram remain ­popular this year, as well as Sanuk and DC, and she will be receiving a big selection of the latest UGGs in September. She also carries accessories: insoles and shoe strings, as well as Oakley sunglasses. Shoes qualify for the tax free weekend coming up the first weekend in August, so remember to mark your ­calendar for a visit to Felts. And Tabitha also wants to remind everyone that Felts Shoes has a layaway plan – “one of the great things about being a small ­business!” she says with a smile – and so, it is not too early to start your Christmas shopping.

For more information, contact

Felts Shoes

(918) 343-9296