A Woman Owned Business - Renee's Birkenstock
It all started in a small German village in 1774 with Johann Adam Birkenstock, who was registered in the church archives as "vassal and shoemaker." Generations later, Birkenstock created arch supports, and later the famous sandal, that reflected the shape of the human foot. Birkenstock USA founder, Margot Fraser, introduced Birkenstock here in the U.S. in the early 70’s. After decades of high heels and pointed toes, women finally had comfortable and healthy alternatives for their agonized feet. Retail distribution of Birkenstock footwear spread like a grass roots campaign, with independently owned stores across the country.
Let me introduce myself…I’m Helen Paxton, owner of Renee’s Birkenstock. After working 25 years with Kroger, I sure knew about aching feet. Over the years I shared with my daughter a dream to work for myself one day, to open my own business. Then, my daughter Rachel went to Florida and took a part time job at a Birkenstock store. She was convinced it would be the perfect business for me. She explained about the benefits of the shoes, which was really about health and wellness for the feet. The more she talked, the more interested I became. We talked about the idea, researched the company, researched the market, and studied the demographics. Pretty soon, I had to agree with her. It was perfect for me.
So in September of 1999, we opened Renee’s Birkenstock in a small strip shopping center in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Renee is the middle name shared by my daughter and granddaughter. Our specialty store quickly developed a loyal following. Birkenstock sandals are world famous for comfort and durability, so at the first sign of spring, we get very busy! We found that demand for the comfortable shoes has been steady and rising with casual attire being more in style. It seems that many women eventually have to discard their high heels, and many younger women never embrace them. The legendary Birkenstock arch support and deep heel cup helps put the foot in normal alignment and support the foot.
By November of 2002, we were ready to open a second shop. We researched the market and studied the demographics again and chose a high end area in Columbus, Ohio. A year later, we opened our third store in Barboursville, WV. In January 2005, the Parkersburg store was relocated to Vienna as we needed more space and more parking. We also created a new section of the store for resoling and repairing shoes.
Besides the trademark shoes, many women appreciate the contoured Birkenstock arch supports we offer that can be slipped into casual shoes, tennis shoes and even short heels. They’re firm, but with more shock absorption and flexibility than most medical orthotics.
New materials and styles are introduced each year by Birkenstock, and yet the brand and we remain faithful to the idea that footwear should be designed first for the feet and should be built to last. The Birkenstock image is comfort and quality. There’s a lot of satisfaction in that because it’s my business - I feel blessed to have it.
We would love for you to come visit our stores and/or give us a call.
Renee’s Birkenstock stores are open from 10-7, Monday through Saturday, and 1-5 on Sunday.
Renee's Birkenstock - Columbus, OH Show Map
1152 Polaris Parkway
Columbus, OH 43240
Store Phone: (614) 433-9023
Renee's Birkenstock - Vienna, WV Show Map
1500 Grand Central Avenue
Vienna, WV 26105
Store Phone: (304) 428-6115
Renee's Birkenstock - Barboursville, WV Show Map
930 Lauren Christian Drive
Barboursville, WV 25504
Store Phone: (304) 302-2475
