A shoe thing

MOSES LAKE — It was a love of footwear that compelled Angela Hernandez to open a shoe store in town.

"We love shoes and there was nothing here in town available to any of us," Hernandez said of the interest she shares with her sister and sister-in-law. "We'd have to travel to Tri-Cities or Spokane to get anything, or go online."

With rising gas prices, the trio figured there'd be less shopping trips in their future.

So Angela's Essentials opened June 26 at 124 E. Third Ave., Suite 201.

"Every woman loves shoes," Hernandez said with a smile and a laugh. "You can't have enough. And the reason we entitled it 'Essentials' is because for women, the belts, the accessories, shoes are the essentials of life."

The business employs two people, and Hernandez's relatives act in an unpaid consulting capacity, she said.

A lifelong Moses Lake resident, Hernandez is adjusting to life as a business owner.

"It's a learning experience, that's for sure," she said, pointing to assistance from neighboring businesses. "Looking at all the magazines and trying to compete, that's been fun. I'm shopping for shoes, and it's hard not to want to wear all of them."

Picking shoes has not been as easy as Hernandez expected.

"You have to pick out what you think other people are going to like, not just what you like," she said. "We went to a big shoe show in Vegas, and we had a great time. It was really overwhelming because there was like 34,000 vendors, 6,000 different brands."

But Hernandez enjoyed herself to such a degree that she's planning a return trip to the show, which is held two times a year.

And what does the future hold?

"Increasing the number of shoes in here, having a wide range available to (customers) and maybe carrying men's," she responded. The store offers a small selection of men's shoes already. "Hopefully, we're still around after a year and continue. So far it's been good for the two months that we've been open."