Shoe boutique opens on Main Street in downtown Cincinnati

L&L Creative Shoe Boutique has joined the downtown Cincinnati retail scene with a store at 639 Main Street.  The new shoe boutique fills the 465 square-foot space left behind when The Little Mahatma relocated to Over-the-Rhine's Gateway Quarter in 2008.

Store owner Leslie Williams says that she first discovered the available store front while walking around downtown, but then approached Downtown Cincinnati Inc. for more information on the space.  Williams is working with friend and colleague Latrice Mason - the owners' first names give the store its name (Leslie & Latrice).  The two friends have worked together in Christ Hospital's emergency room, and decided that they wanted to invest in the shoe boutique.

"I used to run Deja Shoe on Calhoun Street, which prior to that was located on Race Street downtown," explained Williams.  "When we were on Race Street we did good business because of the wide variety of people you find downtown including business professionals, students and others."

Inside customers will be treated to a comfortable atmosphere - Williams describes it as feeling more like trying on shoes in your living room than in a typical shoe store.  L&L Shoe Boutique has chairs and couches where customers can try on a variety of styles of women's shoes ranging from $19.99 to $39.99.

"We felt that right now there isn't a place to get nice shoes at a reasonable price downtown," Williams said.

The store has only been open since August 2, 2010, but Williams says that once they get fully settled in that they will begin selling other fashion accessories and purses.  She also says that customers will soon be able to pre-order their products from a catalog.

Williams says they have signed a one-year lease on the store front, with a three-year lease option.  L&L Creative Shoe Boutique (map) is currently open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 7pm, and Sunday from 1pm to 5pm.  After the first few weeks they expect to expand Friday and Saturday hours until 10pm.  For more information, contact Leslie Williams at (513) 379-1232.

Writer: Randy A. Simes
Photography by Scott Beseler
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