Q&A


Independent Footwear Retailer of the Month


Cheryl Taylor, Associate Editor, talks to independent footwear retailer, Joanna Eeley, of Will & Jo’s/William R Shoes.


Q&A


Name: Joanna Eeley Shop: Eccleshall, Stafford and Sandbach, Cheshire


Brands: Gabor, Waldlaufer, Rieker, Nero Giardini, Paula Urban, Caprice, Marco Tozzi, Hogl, Azuree, Lodi, Alma en Peña, Geox, Bugatti, Pikolinos, HB, FLY London, Remonte


Q: How did you get into footwear? Tell us about your background and your current business? A: My first insight into footwear retail was at age 13 when I started my Saturday job at a long established independent shoe shop. I worked part time until I moved into accountancy, which was my chosen career path; I was lucky enough to work for the same company for 26 years, working my way up from Trainee to Finance and


Operations Director with a seat on the Board. Lucky for me this was with a fashion business that taught me so much about every aspect of work. It was in 2003, when I met my other half Will, that shoes came back into my life. He has been in the trade since the early 70’s – back when there were candles in the shops due to power cuts!


It was not until September 2018 when Will &


Jo’s became our new venture. I had decided to have a career change and wanted to be closer to home, so we opened our store in Eccleshall, Staffordshire, alongside a well-established ladies clothing shop. All was going well and then Covid hit, but


not to be deterred, we used the power of social media and came up with entertaining ideas on how to stay afloat. Unfortunately, after the pandemic the clothing shop closed so we took


30 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • JUNE 2024


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