Fetysh Shoes

Shione Murray, employee, and Alicia Walton, owner of Fetysh Shoes in Rosindale. (Tiffany Probasco photos)

An in-store shoe design display at Fetysh.

The neighborhood of Roslindale is rapidly becoming a hotbed of trendy restaurants and shops. Amongst them is Fetysh, started by 26-year-old wife and mother Alicia Walton less than a year ago. What started as a young girl’s love of shoes moved to in-home shoe parties and has now blossomed into a business.  The idea behind Fetysh, located at 4266 Washington St, is to supply fashion-forward exclusive styles with affordability at the seam.

The Décor:

When Walton describes the style of the shop, she says, “I wanted it to feel like something on Newbury Street. There are a lot of places that kind of do what I do in the way of offering nice things for not too much money, but the décor [is] kind of serve yourself, and [the product] is just put out there … but I wanted my customers to feel like they were coming into a nice space. ” Interior designer Tina Hill helped to give the space a Beverly Hills meets Washington Street feel. The black and white wallpaper with light blue accents creates a perfect backdrop for the brightly colored shoes. Plush benches and ottomans provide comfort that makes customers want to stay long after they’ve tested out their favorite designs.

Shoe Styles:

Fetysh is the place for the woman who wants anything but basic. Walton works hard to find shoes that can’t be found in the regular chain stores. Even if you want shoes for church or an upscale event, you’ll still have a bit of “flair,” whether it is with a tassel on the heel or in a color that stands out. She only orders 12 pairs of each style, so you are truly getting a unique style. She works to keep prices low with styles ranging between $35 and $120; most fall within the $60 range.

So what’s hot right now? Walton says, “Heel-less — which has been on since August of last year. Spikes are definitely a trend, although they are starting to fade out a little bit, and studs are starting to take their place. For spring: bright colors — like your mints and your corals, and of course platforms are always in.”

Accessories:

Though shoes are their main focus, they also dabble in accessories and clutches. They’ve even taken on some local designers like Wrist Candy by Erika, an independent local jewelry designer who Alicia met during her vendor table days. “I want to have exclusive stuff. I want to support different local business within my community … because people supported me,” Walton explains.

The accessories that they carry are even more exclusive than their shoes, as each piece is one-of-a-kind, so it’s no surprise that they are the items that go the most quickly.

Will they carry clothes in the future? “I don’t know about clothes just yet, that’s not really my expertise, but definitely handbags. I’m trying to bring things in slowly to see how my customers take to it, then maybe some fedoras or sun hats in the summer … maybe scarves and tights in the fall … we’ll see.”

Upcoming News:

In mid-March they will expand their operating hours to Tuesday - Saturday 12 p.m. - 7 p.m., and they are working on adding an e-commerce component to their website.

Outside Services:

You can preview shoes in the store on Instagram @Fetyshshoes, where they say they drum up about 75 percent of their business. If you see something you like, you can even put it on hold by leaving a comment on the post. They’ll hold the shoe for 24 hours, just enough time to get down to the store and try them on. Don’t forget, there are only 12 pairs of any given shoe, and they do go fast!

Staying true to their roots, they frequently host shoe parties at the shop after hours, and also allow clients to host their own. In addition, they continue to do shoe parties in private homes upon request.

Why You Should Stop By:

From the time I walked in, I might have confused the shop with the local hair salon the way customers were stopping by just to chat with Alicia. She greeted everyone with a bright, genuine hello and stopped our interview several times to ensure her customers were receiving the proper attention. “I want our customer service to be the number one thing that stands out for us,” she says. “I want our customers to feel like we’re your girlfriends. You can try on your dress here. You can put on 10 of the shoes and take photos to show later to your girlfriends at home. I want this to be a warm atmosphere.”

Fetysh’s personalized customer service and exclusive, affordable trends make for a pleasantly addictive combination.