Since 1999, locals have been visiting 12th Street Shoes in Fairhaven for excellent service and a quality shoe selection that ranges from heels to hardcore Alegria work slip-ons. But the business’s vintage hasn’t stopped Owner Jody Proctor, who purchased the store in 2003, from keeping up with the times! Her posts, videos, and giveaways on the store’s various social media accounts have kept customers invested and coming back for more.
After earning her Masters in Engineering and working in that field, Proctor realized her perfect job would be defined by three characteristics: she wanted to be her own boss, have flexible hours, and be able to walk to work. When 12th Street Shoes became available and she realized it fit all her criteria, she dove headfirst into the business.
“I knew nothing about shoes,” Proctor says. “I took a ton of business classes, I joined the Professional Society, I got on the board of the National Shoes Retailers Association, I did everything I could think of.”
All of that verve definitely paid off for Proctor, who has kept 12th Street Shoes relevant and energized over the past two decades. They expanded the store’s space, brought in handbags and other accessories, and worked to keep the shoe inventory fresh and interesting. Another avenue for growth became a huge opportunity for Proctor in the mid-2000s– social media.
“I forced myself to get into it,” Proctor jokes, noting that marketing company Crystal Media helped her solidify her online presence. “When stuff first started, I was like, ‘I don’t have a clue,’ so she [Crystal Vilkaitis of Crystal Media] got the brand to look the same across all the platforms.”
Nowadays, 12th Street Shoes has a strong presence on Facebook and Instagram, regularly posting photos, videos, and even holding Wine Wednesday livestreams where she shares tasty sips and new shoes with customers. Proctor has moved away from Twitter and hasn’t quite gotten into TikTok yet, but says that her staff and daughter have helped her over the years.
If you head to 12th Street Shoes’s Facebook page, you’ll see posts showcasing new products and behind the scenes goings on at the store. You may even get taken along as Proctor travels to industry shows or, recently, when she took her shoes on a fieldtrip to an AMA Supercross motorcycle racing event.
Proctor’s favorite part about keeping up with the online landscape is the direct communication it affords her with her customer base and the Bellingham community.
“You get to know your customers and the people that respond… That’s the fun part, getting people to respond back to you,” she says. She sometimes posts particularly interesting or weird shoes that cross her path, and enjoys getting feedback on what colors and styles her patrons are excited about.
Keep up with 12th Street Shoes and Proctor’s adventures on their social media @12streetshoes, check out their website, or even venture to Fairhaven to pay them a visit outside the virtual space. 1204 Harris Ave., Bellingham, 360.733.2066, 12thstreetshoes.com
