[ad_1]
When she reopened Shoe Science in October 2023, McKenzie Farmen says it reignited her passion for footwear and customer service.
McKenzie Farmen, of Shoe Science in Aberdeen, South Dakota, shows off the store’s shoes.
She previously worked for the company from 2015-21 and was contacted by the owners in June 2023, who asked if she had any interest in coming back.
Farmen says footwear and retail have been her passion since she started working at Shoe Science a decade ago.
As the new face of the store, the Aberdeen native — who graduated from Aberdeen Central and Presentation College — is enthusiastic.
More: Redfield rebuilds housing stock: 1 lot and 1 house at a time
“I quickly got a grasp of just how impactful a small business can be in the community,” Farmen told the Aberdeen News. “The passion started almost immediately after my first day on the job. I had a great mentor back then. I am also passionate about keeping a small business open because I grew up in Aberdeen and have lived here my whole life. Both my husband’s family and mine are from the area, and all of our roots are here.”
Farmen is grateful for the Aberdeen community’s support after the store’s closure and reopening and she said the support continues into today.
More: Aberdeen has an official flag. Which other South Dakota cities have one?
McKenzie Farmen, of Shoe Science in Aberdeen, South Dakota, shows off the store’s shoes.
“We would not still be here if it wasn’t for our wonderful community,” she said.
One major success story happened shortly after reopening, when in November 2023, Farmen was able to bring in five new shoe brands to add to the lineup that Shoe Science already carried. Those brands included Adidas, Birkenstock, Kane, New Balance and On Cloud Running. These were on top of the brands they have carried for years.
“Another big success was creating a website for Shoe Science, something that we have never had done before,” Farmen said, noting this happened in early 2024. “I knew if I wanted to grow my business and reach a larger crowd, I had to make online shopping a thing.”
The website is shoescienceaberdeen.com.
Farmen says Shoe Science frequently gives back to the community; often in the form of donations to help get events and projects off the ground. A few to note are local area team and school donations during back-to-school season. She also adds the Aberdeen Area Humane Society, Aberdeen Area Running Club, Aberdeen YMCA, Aberdeen Area BMX, Hub City Triathlon, Northern State University Athletics, Run with the Police 5k and more.
Farmen says her list of people to thank is endless, claiming the Aberdeen community “has had our back all the way from the beginning.”
“I also want to thank the entire Schwan family for trusting me with running the business and making this transition so smooth,” she said. “I want to put an emphasis on shopping local and supporting your local community. Businesses would not be able to keep their doors open without the support of our communities.”
Located at 315 Main St. in downtown Aberdeen, Shoe Science is open from 12-7 p.m. Monday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. The store can be reached at (605) 225-5111.
This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Aberdeen’s Shoe Science grows with fresh footwear, local impact
[ad_2]