From 2007 to 2008 Pacific Beach took brave strides into upscale ambiance with such new nightlife and lifestyle additions as Tower 23, Firehouse and Bar West, among others.
The next step up for this forever young beach town is an upgraded shopping scene. From a wall within Fresh Boutique to its own chic shop, Forward Footwear is transforming Pacific Beach shopping from the ground up.
Forward Footwear is a new addition to Garnet boutique row, and the area’s only footwear shop. Owned by Herb Terrell and partners, Forward Footwear puts a stylish twist on Garnet foot traffic.
Two years ago, Forward Footwear began on a wall space in Fresh Boutique with trendy and affordable shoes for women. In early 2009, the shoe selection expanded and Forward Footwear took over Berrydog’s storefront with a vision to provide a mix of higher quality labels with affordable brands in an artistic ambiance. “We want to bring the best of Melrose to Pacific Beach,” says Terrell.
Offering brands like Chinese Laundry, Jessica Simpson, Michael Antonio and Steve Madden, Forward Footwear is already veering away from PB’s major trends of cutesy wedges, but stands firm on keeping 80% of their selection under $40. “We want to bring the style without jacking up the prices,” explains Terrell. “We have to stay relevant to the Pacific Beach lifestyle.”
This new Pacific Beach boutique provides clientele with a fresh mix of footwear. You can expect to find such styles as heels painted with arty prints, the inexpensive version of Dior’s extreme kicks from “Sex and The City,” and everything in between from such brands as Restricted, Nina Dolls, Dollhouse, Capelli, Wanted, Mic, Enya, Two Lips and Jeffrey Campbell.
Forward Footwear also supplies fun accessories. Á la mode jewelry adorns the counters while trendy hats and scarves hang from the leafless branches of a cut down Manzanita tree. A unique fixture in the boutique, Terrell salvaged the impressive tree décor from a friend’s Lake Hodges acreage that was ravaged by the 2008 wild fires.
Furthermore, Forward Footwear will lend its interior space to local artists, transforming the boutique into an impromptu gallery of ever-rotating art and photography available for sale. A Gaslamp-worthy selection set in a North Park-inspired setting – this is a boutique concept never before seen in the coastal city of Pacific Beach. “We want to combine fashion and art and truly recreate that LA and New York vibe where the people are cool, just hanging out and rapping out with you.”
Keeping in tune with the local look, Forward Footwear is intimately involved in San Diego fashion and entertainment. Every month, a selection of their hottest styles will strut down a local runway. With appearances at numerous events and parties, most recently the Ed Hardy Intimates Official Release and Fashion Show (Downtown) and the Fortune Fashion Show (Del Mar), the boutique may be located in Pacific Beach, but the buzz travels County-wide.
Conscious of the harsh economy, Terrell is focused on truly taking care of clientele. As a small and agile company with deep local roots, they are taking advantage of the ability to speak directly with shoppers and respond to all comments and questions.
“I know who our demographic is and I know what styles look good. But I want to bridge the retail gap and bring the customer closer to our buying process,” explains a second Fashion Forward partner. For example, before heading out to Las Vegas for the largest shoe show in the US, they sent out a personalized e-mail titled: “What can we get you?”
Forward Footwear wants to be your personal shoe shopper. From consistent consumer outreach to a thorough understanding of the market and ever-changing styles, Forward Footwear guarantees a full stock of only the best shoe selections for comfortable everyday fashion and statement-making special event style.
Looking ahead, Terrell confidently declares, “We are here to stay.” In this economy where San Diego boutiques are opening and closing within two years, Forward Footwear is an anomaly breaking even in their first year of business. “We have the niche, we have the style and we have the prices.”
We can only hope the success of Forward Footwear spreads down Garnet, breeding a bright new future for the Pacific Beach shopping scene. Goodbye jersey dresses, hello rumors of Urban Outfitters upgrades. As cheap-chic stores close down, open spaces along Garnet now call for more than the usual $5 shirt-filled shops.
“If a new Urban Outfitters store opens in Pacific Beach, it will create an anchor for our store and inspire more boutiques with an edge.”
Tower 23 opened the door for such new-age Pacific Beach businesses as Firehouse and Bar West to spread their wings; we can only hope for additional forward strides in the Pacific Beach shopping scene thanks to Forward Footwear.
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