Women's shoes provide for Sunserra lifestyle

CRESCENT BAR – There's money in women's shoes, at least enough to allow Andrew MacGillivray to live in Sunserra and spend lots of quality time with his two young daughters.

MacGillivray is a women's shoes wholesaler. He represents the Mia Company of Miami, Fla. as a private contractor. He came to know Mia over several years when he bought Mia's shoes for Nordstrom's.

MacGillivray did not become a women's shoes wholesaler because of some childhood plan. The former British citizen joined the Royal Air Force as a teenager in 1979 and, after a while, was career military.

However, needing to downsize in 1996, the RAF offered the sergeant a lump some and a pension to leave early.

“I wasn't going to go any higher in rank. So I left,” MacGillivray said.

Not having a plan for the rest of his life, the single MacGillivray spent the next 14 months traveling the world. He visited several of the places he'd seen while in the RAF.

“I just liked to travel,” he said.

MacGillivray's non-plan eventually brought him to the Northwest. He went to the movie “Restless in Seattle” while in Los Angeles and saw a city that seemed somewhat like home.

“I want to go to that place,” he thought.

MacGillivray got on a train and came north. It was March, and it was raining in Seattle, just as in the movie when the lead character arrives. It all reminded him of England. He found it all beautiful and had his own “Sleepless” moment too.

“I was going to go home, but I met my wife (who'd been raised in Quincy) and never went back,” he said.

To support his new life, MacGillivray went looking for a job. Nordstrom's gave him a post in security. A few months later he was selling women's shoes.

That job fit MacGillivray well. Working in logistics for the RAF, he had loaded and unloaded the monster C-10 cargo plane and also worked as a store keeper.

MacGillivray's military background gave him a discipline that was readily noticeable among Nordstrom's leadership. He became an assistant buyer, then regional manager for Oregon, Utah and California. He worked with store managers ensuring they hired the right people.

“I loved that job,” he said.

Then in 2003 Nordstrom's had an RAF moment and downsized. MacGillivray needed to find a new career, and he did with a New York wholesaler.

MacGillivray is still a wholesaler. He travels all over the country selling shoes to stores that cater to women. It's not unusual to see him toting a duffel bag or two of his wares.

“The U.S. is still the land of opportunity,” he said.

Because of his status as a traveling wholesaler, MacGillivray could live anywhere and still get to work. He moved to Quincy in 2005 so his wife could be closer to her family.

In 2008 he moved into North Park when his marriage came undone. He rented a park model unit so he could remain near his young daughters.

“I loved it down there,” he said.

But seeking a more home-like abode for Emma and Sinclair, MacGillivray moved into Sunserra when the opportunity presented itself. You'll catch him there often with his daughters.

As an independent contractor, MacGillivray sets his own schedule. He does some cold calling to familiar stores, but most of his sales trips are by appointment.

Although  2008 was a tough year in one way, it was good in another. McGillivray took his citizenship test in Yakima, passed and became a citizen.

“I was always fascinated with the U.S.,” he said.