©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com
By Maureen Werther
Stephanie Siracusa is trading in her real estate career for a new pair of heels–to be exact, a whole store full of them.
Her new shoe store, Stephanie Anne’s, opened in the Saratoga Marketplace, 454 Broadway, on the main level, in between Pangea and Mango Tree. Siracusa offers a wide assortment of shoes, boots and sandals that will appeal to women who love shoes.
“I’ve thought about opening either a clothing or a shoe store for years,” said Siracusa. She is originally from Dallas and lived for several years in New York City as well. When she moved to Delmar, the Shoe Depot in Saratoga became her “go to” store for shoes. “When they closed, it left a gaping hole in the market,” she said.
When Siracusa moved from Delmar to Saratoga Springs a few years ago, her plan was to either sell real estate or open a shop. She stuck to that plan and worked with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services on Broadway.
But, the lure of opening her own retail store was strong and, after a couple of years as a realtor, she decided to make the career change.
She said she began by talking with female friends, business associates and other boutique owners in town. “I felt it might be taking too big of a chance, opening another dress shop.” Instead, she decided that a shoe store was the right choice.
She began looking for locations in the fall of 2015, thinking she would open her shop sometime in August 2016. “But then, a spot suddenly became available in the Marketplace and I felt it was the right space and the right time. I took a leap of faith, and here I am, opening in May instead of August,” said Siracusa.
She went to New York City to attend a footwear floor show to find the right brands for her new store. “I had no business cards, no name for the shop even,” she recalled.
One of Siracusa’s goals is to bring new designers and new styles to the area. She is particularly interested in featuring local and regional talent. She will be featuring some of the styles from a shoe design company called Klik, based in New Jersey, that is completely run by women, as part of Stephanie Anne’s collection.
Prices for all of her shoes will range from $35 for a dressy sandal, up to a few hundred dollars for high quality leather designs.
Siracusa described her customers as women who know what they want and who appreciate beautiful fashion and good quality.
“I have always thought of shoes as jewelry for your feet,” she noted. “Just because you’re wearing flat sandals doesn’t mean they can’t have beautiful decorative beads or rhinestones.”
She wants to offer shoes that are both versatile and fashionable, taking a woman from a day strolling around the track to a night on the town.
She looks forward to being part of the downtown business community and she said that being in the local real estate business helped her a lot while making the decision to open the shoe store. “I got to learn so much about the people in the community and the commercial properties.”
Her goal is to offer an enjoyable and unique shopping experience, where women can find fashionable shoes, exciting new brands and high quality.
Stephanie Anne’s hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit Siracusa at Stephanie Anne’s or email her at StephanieAnnesShoes@gmail.com.