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Kemp's Shoe Salon and Boutique today, is the product of four generations of family members striving to nurture and cultivate the dreams of Dotti Kemp.
Dotti's dream was to own a very unique shoe store - in fact, it would never be called a “shoe store” It would be a salon… an elegant, but comfortable place where ladies could come to shop and browse and be surrounded by beautiful things to look at as well as to purchase. She wanted everyone who came in to feel like she was a special guest in her own home.
Dotti opened her first Kemp's Shoe Salon in Boca Raton in 1959. She insisted on white carpeting, white furniture and crystal chandeliers to accentuate her unique and colorful displays of footwear and coordinating accessories. On a limited budget -- but with unlimited creativity -- she hand painted, dyed, and bejeweled shoes and handbags as well as designed unusual shoe ornaments to expand her inventory and cater to the individual needs and desires of her clientele.
Business Boomed! Dotti's dream came true. Her motto became…” Kemp's is not just a shoe salon…it's a way of life”
Over the years Dotti shopped around the world to bring exciting new footwear and accessories lines to Kemp's. She developed lifelong partnerships and friendships with many shoe manufactures as well as many famous shoe designers. She added her own designs, which were manufactured by Jack Rogers to her collections. (The original Dotti sandal, still available at Kemp's, is included in the Shoe Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC) Kemp's thrived and Dotti became an Icon in the shoe industry. She became famous for her use of color in her merchandise and for her unique displays by color rather than brand. When she eventually added clothing to her mix, it was displayed in closets, never on traditional racks.
Daughters Ann and Martha joined Dotti in her ventures in the 1970's. Her teenage granddaughters joined her soon thereafter.
Fast forward to TODAY…
Kemp's is still “a way of life” in Florida. Dotti's legacy lives on. Her granddaughters and granddaughter in-law run the stores along with a fabulous staff of loyal devoted and knowledgeable employees. Her great granddaughters are also adding their own special talents in modeling, advertising and web design.
Our wonderful customers (guests) are still the main motivation for everything we do. We still display by color and style rather than by brand. We strive to continue to offer the crème de la crème in shoes, clothing, handbags, and accessories at competitive prices. We travel the markets to bring fresh new contemporary designs and designers to our boutiques, while also maintaining the classics our customers know and love. Our merchandise mix runs from resort casual and comfortable to sophisticated evening designs…and everything in between.
For those of you who can't make it in to visit us, we hope you will enjoy visiting our Boutique on the Web. Sit back, pour yourself a cup of tea or a glass of wine and browse. Because we can only show you a small sample of what we have in our boutiques, feel free to e-mail us or call us if there is anything you need or want that you don't see.
We plan to update and improve our Web Boutique all the time. So be sure to check back often.
Also visit Kemp's Shoe Salon and Boutique on FACEBOOK for updates on Sales and Special events!