This Holiday Season, Put Some Swank In Your Strut
Swank Shoe Lounge owners and best lady friends, Melissa Bodnar and Jana Raskob definitely have shoes on the brain. Dedicating two beautiful brick and mortar stores to the fabulous world of fashionable footwear and more,
Swank locations can be found in Saskatoon and the Shoppes on Hamilton Fashion and Beauty District of Regina. From sock fit boot silhouettes, block heels and the perfect everyday sneak, these ladies are making sure Swank is stocked with essentials, the coveted and the hard-to-find.
Refined caught up with the busy duo to chat about holiday purchases, the latest “must-haves” and how their dedication to customer service includes empowering women of all fashionista stages.
Recognizing the variety of female customers they welcome through their doors every day, Swank owners Bodnar and Raskob insist everyone is treated with the same level of service regardless of their preferred shoe choice or price range. “I feel like many customers walk through our door a little intimidated, perhaps a bit unsure, and some don't have the same passion for fashion as we do, but they want our advice and they want our help, ”says Raskob,“We see that and just so appreciate when they let their guard down and trust us to help them. In that way, we are empowering women; we want to make sure they feel better about themselves and confident in what they put on every day.”
With eight years as business owners under their belt, the duo agrees the most important part of the customer experience when walking into Swank is not accessible to the vast eclectic mix of shoes, but rather how customers are treated and how they feel when they walk out, with or without a new pair of shoes.
Securing those hard-to-find shoes most Canadian retailers dream of offering customers means buying trips to New York, Las Vegas, Toronto and Vancouver, as well as extended international visits. But Bodnar and Raskob insist that it's all in the name of the perfect shoe for their Prairie girls. “We've gotten to know our customers so well. The lifestyle in Saskatchewan is different than other parts of the world, so we try to bring in brands and styles that are hard to find and that other stores don't carry, but always with that mindset of what our customers really want and will wear," they explain.
So, what is a Swank favourite right now?
“Sock booties are the number one fashion trend right now. It's great because we have a variety of brands coming in at different price points so we can offer this trend to all our customers says Bodnar. With the holiday shopping season just around the corner, the Swank Shoe Lounge ladies can help you find the perfect present for your female friend, loved one or a gift for you, by you—the best kind. With new accessories in store from Dylan Kain, jewelry from Kris Nation and amazing hats from Australia's Lack of Color label, customers have a bevy of collections to peruse and pick from.
Bodnar and Raskob have a reminder for those men bound and determined to place a shoe box under the tree for their lovely lady Swank’s extensive customer database can help take care of that very special gift. Visit them today.
Swank Shoe Lounge
1840 Hamilton St.
Regina
306.347.5775
swankshoelounge.com
By Candace Fox