Shoe Mill Goes the Extra Mile in Giveaway

When it comes to customer service, not many shoe stores do it better than Shoe Mill out of Portland, OR. They take pride in finding the right fit and style for each individual that walks through their door.

Last Friday, on the final day of Barefoot Week, volunteers from Shoe Mill jumped at the chance to extend their customer care to the needy living on the streets of the north blocks in downtown Portland.

Warehouse personnel, managers, shoe runners, office workers and even the President of Shoe Mill took the time to remove old shoes and socks and personally size each man and woman that stood in line for shoes.

"We wanted to serve each individual in the same way we do in our stores," said Ed Habre, President of Shoe Mill. "It's not just about handing someone a free pair of shoes. It's about looking them in the eye, asking their name and treating them with respect by giving them a new pair of shoes that they can wear and enjoy."

It was not an easy task. Over 3,000 pairs of shoes were handed out in a five hour period. Volunteers from Shoe Mill were joined with volunteers from adidas, Bridgetown Ministries and Delivered Dish in the unloading, set up and massive clean-up that followed the event. Josh Habre, Operations Manager for the shoe retailer, thinks it was worth it.

"Giving back to our community with Soles4Souls is an important part of being a successful business,” said Josh. “We are so blessed and feel that it is only right that we make a way to help those in need. We have partnered with Soles4Souls for a long time in order to reach people in need around the world. We saw the opportunity to help right here in our hometown and are excited to give away new shoes and socks to Portlanders in need,” he said.