The winter seasons can get pretty gruesome in Canada, especially if you live here in Northern Ontario. For a decent pair of boots, many may need to check out multiple stores until they find a pair that will keep their toes toasty, stay stylish, and last through multiple seasons.
There are not many shoe stores anymore, says Kyle Hoddy, owner of Jean Country with two locations in Lively and Espanola, Ontario. Jean Country has always been known for their modern clothing including, of course, their high-quality jeans, but what you may not know is that the store also has a very large selection of footwear as well.
“We started out as a jean store and now we evolved into offering amazing footwear,” says Kyle Hoddy. Jean Country offers a particularly wide selection of footwear for women, including two German brands that do year-round footwear for the store.
Jean Country has been a staple for many in the surrounding community since it opened in December 2000, 21 years ago this month. Hoddy is proud to see how much the business has grown since then, especially their variety of winter footwear to keep up with our chilliest winters.
“Most of the items are lamb wool lined and waterproof which is perfect for where we are.”
For women especially, there is typically a choice made at other stores when footwear is purchased for the winter months. “In the winter it was hard to get something women could wear out, be warm and dry, and be fashionable.”
“You had fashion shoes or you had big boots that looked like you were going ice-fishing,” laughs Hoddy. “Now it's about fashion and being warm.”
The friendly service and unique selection are what sets Jean Country apart, says Hoddy, and keep them coming back. “Our staff love and wear what we sell. Whatever they have on, our customers see it on people and like it and buy it.”
Knowing that you’re finding and selling products that your own employees want to wear because they know the value of what they sell, means customers can trust that they’re receiving the best quality shoes - and find a great pair of jeans too!