Violet Graduates
My youngest daughter, Violet graduated from high school this week. As with any important milestone in one’s life, it brought back a flood of memories. It is so hard to believe that we started Soft Star Shoes twenty some odd years ago when my middle daughter, Corina, was two years old. Jeanie and I did not want to leave the house to work and miss the children’s childhood. We wanted soft handmade moccasins for our kids, so we thought we could make a business out of it. While we were at it, why not let customers design their own shoes? Well twenty years later I’ve added two partners and I am still making soft leather moccasins and shoes for children. It was great having the kids grow up in the shop. What a perfect playground. Leather scraps, glue, tables to hide under and mark on. It was as much fun for us and it was for the kids. One day they are asking for juice, the next the car keys and then you are helping them pick out graduations notices. I am so grateful my work allowed me to grow up with the kids.
Soft Star Shoes is a family friendly company located in Corvallis, Oregon. Viewpoints in this blog are those of individual workshop elves, and do not necessarily represent those of www.SoftStarShoes.com
Growing up in rural Wisconsin, Tricia spent her summers running around barefoot with her sisters and brother. These early memories later inspired her to build a brand which embraced the joy and freedom of childhood with the health and science of minimal footwear. After 20+ years at the helm as C. Elf. O, Softstar proudly transitioned to employee-owned, and Tricia became the C.F.O. at Softstar. She is a frequent expert panelist for both e-commerce and entrepreneurship conferences.
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