We Like(d)
Meet Buyers From… Kid’s Shoe Stores 
Now that we’ve met the shoe brands coming to the summer events, let’s take a look at some of the outstanding kid’s shoe stores from our community! Coming from around the world to visit our events and curate the perfect footwear selection, these kid’s shoe stores each have their own unique identity. We dove into the universe of each, even speaking with a few of them to learn about their customers and how they curate the selection in their store.
Grab your finest footwear and join us on this trek around the world to meet a few of the kid’s shoe stores in our community!
When unable to find footwear she wanted for her own children, María Jesús decided to found Koroto to solve this problem for fellow parents in Barcelona. “I decided to build a friendly place where families could feel comfortable, receive advice, and have all the options for foot-healthy, high quality footwear full of color, style, and personality,” she told us.
María Jesús has several requirements she considers when curating her selection. First is traceability — she wants to know how and where each product is made. Next, the materials must be high quality and pamper the foot. The aesthetics, style, and beauty are also considered. Last, but far from least, over her 10 years of experience María Jesús has identified the importance of flexible soles and space for little toes to grow as key attributes for foot health. “Offering foot-healthy footwear is compatible with providing beautiful footwear,” she explained.
As for her customers, María Jesús has observed that most families come in looking for casual styles kids can wear every day. Shoes that work for school and the weekend are the most successful. For spring-summer, canvas shoes and sandals are her bestsellers. She has loved to see new children’s footwear brands emerging over the last five years, and the addition of barefoot models to established collections. When asked about a few of her favorite footwear brands, María Jesús told us she loves Tip Toey Joey, Igor, Froddo, and Bobux. “These are brands I’ve trusted for many years. I enjoyed seeing their new arrivals at the last edition of Playtime Paris,” she told us. “I also discovered new brands that will be added to my curated offering at Koroto. Playtime is pure inspiration for my shoe store,” María Jesús said.
At Koroto, you’ll find: Tip Toey Joey, Igor, Froddo, Bobux, Oldsoles, Camper, Collégien…
Started by a brother and sister-in-law in the suburbs of Gent, Belgium, meet Paper Planes! Bart is a podiatrist, while Griet worked in high fashion and the arts, giving these co-founders the perfect balance between aesthetics and function. “We try to create a pleasant experience for parents and children,” Griet told us. She and Bart have made Paper Planes spacious, colorful, and child-friendly. “We take time to investigate taste and best fit, while always keeping in mind that every parent has their own budget,” Griet explained.
“The best lesson we’ve learned is to stay true to ourselves,” Griet told us when asked how she and Bart curate their selection. She explained that their customers come to Paper Planes for their identity and personal taste. The styles in Paper Planes are often colorful, with sneakers, sandals, and solid boots leading the way in their selection. “Everything that screams ‘My kid can be a real kid’ can be found at Paper Planes,” Griet explained.
Paper Planes welcomes fashionistas that are price conscious and eco-sensitive. Their customers want shoes that are polished for the city and ready for local playgrounds. “One piece of advice we always give is ‘listen to your kids’! They must wear the shoes in the end, so they need to feel good in the heart and on the feet,” Griet told us.
Griet and Bart are hoping to find more boy’s sandals in the kid’s market this season. “It’s a real challenge to find cool, affordable sandals for bigger boys,” Griet said. She’s also looking for strong cotton summer shoes with solid heel supports and Velcro closures.
Brands in Paper Planes: Beberlis, Rondinella, 10 Is, Clotaire, Easy Peasy, Collégien, Pom d’Api, Bisgaard, Veja, Bobux, W6YZ, Angulus…
In business since 2011 both in store and online, 2zoles is a small, cozy, and powerful shoe store. “We offer carefully selected and thoughtfully chosen shoes for children,” explained the store’s owner and manager, Daiga. “Trusted, experienced manufacturers, high quality, practicality, style, and impeccable customer service are the things that define our little shop,” she told us.
Daiga explained that in Latvia, they have a lot of variation in their weather, meaning her selection has to be especially well thought out to meet her customers’ needs. “Our market is very small and sensitive to any fluctuations,” she explained. She finds her customers are mainly looking for versatile shoes, with barefoot-styles and classic sneakers being especially on-trend at the moment. Daiga is always on the lookout for first step shoes that ensure little feet are comfortable and safe for the endless movement of this developmental stage.
Daiga strives to offer a selection that meets the needs of every customer who walks into 2zoles. “We only offer shoes that we can confidently recommend, those that will fit your child’s feet and match your family’s lifestyle,” she continued. Like many of her fellow kid’s shoe stores, Daiga is focused on curating a selection that is suitable for growing, active feet. Products that are lightweight, durable, low maintenance, stylish, and reasonably priced always catch her eye!
In their store: Bisgaard, Bobux, Shoo Pom, Oldsoles, 10 Is, Molo, Froddo, En Fant, Bundgaard…
Keks was born of the founder, Vera’s, desire to grow her roots within her hometown after having lived abroad in her 20’s. Having opened in-store and online in 2022, the store expanded last year to create more space for displaying their large variety of shoes for children and adults, along with a selection of accessories and toys. “We try to find a balance between basics and seasonal styles,” Vera told us. “As a millennial, I’d say I’m pretty influenced by what I see on Instagram. We also get recommendations from other stores,” she continued. She likes visiting trade shows for inspiration and to meet new brands. Events also offer the opportunity to put a face to the labels she already works with.
With the distinct weather in Germany, Vera finds that she has to be reactive to meet the needs of her customers. While this can be logistically challenging, she appreciates that it keeps Keks a dynamic shop that is constantly changing throughout the year. Their offer ranges from classy styles to sneakers and watershoes, with one key aspect across all categories being essential: flexible soles and spacious toe boxes characteristic of barefoot styles. “I would say that 90% of the shoes we sell belong to this group,” Vera said.
At Keks, they sell a lot of high quality leather shoes, and have observed customers being drawn more towards bold colors in recent seasons. Vera notes that their clients also come in looking for sporty styles with playful details. She’d like to see more fashion-forward shoe brands creating even more flexible soles, and is particularly on the lookout for leather-mesh combinations this season.
Find them there: Beberlis, GBB, Angulus, W6YZ, Bundgaard, Naturino, Silly Silas, Collégien, Easy Peasy, Bisgaard, Falcotto, Blundstone…
Elevated style and an expert selection meet on Level Shoes’ website! With shoes for kids, women, and men, the whole family can shop their wide variety of footwear. Level Shoes’ selection is as varied as the children who wear them. Ranging from boots to first steps, dress shoes to sneakers, all the essentials can be found at Level!
These brands are there: Emu Australia, Mini Melissa, Donsje Amsterdam, Veja, Moon Boot…
The Parisian boutique and e-shop Botoù is dedicated to the world of children’s shoes! Quality is key in their selection, with their team choosing brands for comfort above all. Durability, quality, and style are carefully considered as well. From first steps up to size 40, Botoù offers a variety of styles that cover every need of little feet. The atmosphere in their store is inviting and fun, encouraging families to take their time shoe shopping. With their team always at the ready to assist and a small selection of accessories and gifts, a day spent at Botoù is sure to result in happy parents and kids.
In their store: 10 Is, Veja, Bonton, Méduse, Donsje Amsterdam, Shoo Pom, Emu Australia, Naturino, Pom d’Api, Bisgaard, Collégien…
Petit Cricket is a shoe specialist dedicated to small and large children! They have a selection of adult shoes in addition to their kid’s footwear and accessories. Petit Cricket offers a pleasant shopping experience both in store and online for the whole family. The two key criteria for each shoe added to their selection is quality and comfort. Knowing the importance of each of these characteristics, particularly when it comes to children’s shoes, Petit Cricket carefully selects each product with them in mind. Their styles range from flip flops to ankle boots, ceremony to casual shoes, accompanying children every step of the way.
In their store: Naturino, GBB, Bisgaard, Shoo Pom, Easy Peasy, Babybotte, Falcotto, Luciole et petit pois, Méduse, Froddo, Pom d’Api…
At Sprong, they’re dedicated to bringing kids the right shoes to grow in! Based in Atlanta, Georgia, they’ve been dressing the feet of the best-dressed kids for over fourteen years. Sprong’s diverse selection ranges from athletic sneakers, sandals, dress shoes, and casual styles perfect for every day. Their well-trained team is always available to assist their tiny customers with finding the right shoes. With a selection of accessories, socks, and tights to compete their selection, Sprong has it all. The products on their shelves are stylish, yet affordable, empowering every child to find the right fit.
Shop these brands: Steve Madden, Mini Melissa, Oldsoles, Cienta…
The online retailer Sarenza is a leader in trend-spotting! For their children’s offer, they focus on curating an adaptable selection ready for kid’s rapid growth spurts and high energy. Like many of their fellow kid’s shoe stores, there is a high focus on quality brands. Sarenza particularly acknowledges the importance of support when it comes to kid’s footwear. In their expert opinion, non-slip, flexible soles are nonnegotiable for kid’s shoes. Sarenza’s selection of children’s footwear blends fashion and function. Through their offer, they bring every member of the family shoes that appeal to their style and meet their needs.
In their e-shop: Eli 1957, Bopy, Babybotte, Pèpè, Igor, Bisgaard, Froddo, Liewood, Blundstone, Tinycottons, Veja, Bobux, Méduse, Bonton, Rondinella, Camper, Ocra, Naturino, CeLaVi, Falcotto, Pom d’Api, Huttelihut, Maá, Mini Melissa, Shoesme, 10 Is, Cienta, W6YZ…
MintMouse was created to offer practical, beautiful, high quality products. In awe of the products required to accompany new members of families everywhere as they grow, MintMouse wanted to offer a simple destination where they can find what’s best for their little ones. The founder loved searching for footwear for her own children, and decided to bring her discoveries to her community through her store online and in person. Their physical shop is located at Unicorner Concept Store, where their expert shoe selection is on display in a colorful, bright space.
These brands are there: Grech & Co, BabyMocs, Konges Sløjd, Bisgaard, Falcotto, Donsje Amsterdam, Liewood, En Fant, Bundgaard, Froddo, Naturino, Shoesme, GBB, Angulus, That’s Mine…
Zalando is one of the leading online destinations for families in search of the latest trends. With styles sorted by age and expert selections of the latest must-haves, Zalando acts as a key resource for the most fashionable families. With a selection of clothing to be paired with their exceptional kid’s shoe selection, Zalando has it all.
Find them there: Veja, Emu Australia, Pom d’Api, Bonton, Froddo, Liewood, Bisgaard, MarMar Copenhagen, Scotch & Soda, Blundstone, Camper, Wheat, CeLaVi, Tinycottons, En Fant, Mini Melissa, Reima, Molo…
With over 30 years of experience, customers know they can trust the expertise of Müki Chaussures d’Enfants! Their team is well-qualified at finding the perfect size for every foot, with endless styles to accommodate children’s varying tastes. With a focus on comfort, health, and fashion, Müki Chaussures d’Enfants has an exceptional offer exclusively in store. Traveling the world to source nothing but the best, Müki Chaussures d’Enfants is a top destination for kid’s shoes!
Shop brands like: Méduse, Ocra, Naturino, Falcotto, Pom d’Api, Bundgaard, Easy Peasy, Froddo, Bobux, W6YZ, Camper, Liewood…
Zazoo brings together a selection of beautiful, high quality shoes in their store. They frequently change their range to adapt to the changing needs of the market, while always paying close attention to the little details that make kid’s shoes great. With a dedication to offering exceptional service and advice, Zazoo offers appointments to visit them in store. This guarantees they’ll be able to take the time to work one-on-one with their customers. At Zazoo, they have just the shoe for every style and foot!
These brands are there: Falcotto, Ocra, Angulus, En Fant, Rockahula Kids, Bisgaard, Collégien, Izipzi, Naturino, Veja…
Tassel Shoes offers an exclusive selection of European-made children’s shoes. With a focus on premium quality, Tassel Shoes features a selection of carefully chosen brands following the latest fashion trends. For summer, they have focuses on first walkers and watershoes to cater to the current needs of their little clients. Tassel Shoes has kid’s footwear for every occasion, age, and style both in store and online.
Find them there: Beberlis, Manuela de Juan, Boxbo, Oldsoles, Naturino, Angulus, Pèpè, Bonton, Maá, Pom d’Api, Rondinella, Veja…
We hope you’ve enjoyed meeting these kid’s shoe stores from our community as much as we have! Fellow buyers can get their pass to the summer events in Paris, New York, and Los Angeles to join these retailers and more at the key business events of the season.
If you loved learning more about these kid’s shoe stores, check out our past articles on retailers in Germany and Toy, Book, and Gift Stores!
