'Time will tell' for new Rushden shoe shop as owners hope to reverse slow start

The bosses of a new Rushden shoe shop hope trade will pick up soon after opening their doors at the weekend.

HA HA UK welcomed ther first customers in Church Street on Saturday (April 6) after a monumental effort to rejuvenate the shop that was once The Kids Shoe Den.

It has seen an all-new interior fitted, with shoes of all variety lining the walls, and owner, John Cassells intends to bring a new option for those looking for fancy, informal or all-round fashionable footwear.

He said: “We had a few people in, not many – makes you wonder whether we did the right thing opening, but time will tell.

"It went fairly well, we had quite a few people at times, but it’s quiet. Weather-wise it’s been bad and people aren’t aware of it yet, only time will tell.”

John, 76, and his wife Margaret, 75, had previously ran a clothing shop in Huntingdon and another in St Ives, but found that units there were expensive to upkeep, and said moving to Rushden was ‘a no-brainer.’ John, a builder by trade, took on the task of renovating the shop from scratch, with new flooring, walls, lighting and outside signage.

Now the previously vacant unit is stocked with a range of footwear for men, women and children, as well as handbags, summer shirts, prom dresses and other fashion items.

Though the offerings are varied, prices start around £35, raising to a maximum price of around £95.

HA HA UK’s (meaning ‘His And Her Attire’) hope is to provide local shoppers with an alternative option, as John and Margaret believe that their stock is unique.

Speaking in January, John said: “The type of shoes we’re doing, they’re not going to be over expensive, but they’re going to be something you can build your wardrobe up from.

“I’m hoping that the word gets to Rushden Lakes because we’ve been down there and looked at the shoe shops, they’re expensive and nothing like we’ve got."