Shoe store taking shoes for a shelter

Alicia Robinson

While many people are thinking of the fabulous gifts they’d like to

get later this month, Karen Lazarus just wants old shoes.

Shoes that never get worn by their owners may be of use to

families who spend time at Laura’s House, a domestic violence shelter

for Orange County women and children. And Lazarus wants to get

people’s unused shoes to them. She’s offering a $10 discount on new

shoe purchases when people bring in an old pair of shoes for Laura’s

House.

Lazarus and her husband, Mervyn, have run Sole Comfort, a shoe

store in Corona del Mar Plaza, since August 2002. The store

specializes in comfortable shoes of all types.

“We needed a good fashion- [and] comfort-shoe store in this area,”

Karen Lazarus said. “Hopefully, we’ve filled that niche.”

The Newport Beach store is the second for the Lazaruses, who moved

to Irvine from South Africa 23 years ago. They also have a shoe store

in San Diego.

They wanted to do something charitable that would benefit their

community, and they thought the holidays would be a good time to do

it, she said.

As a former preschool teacher, Karen Lazarus said, she is

particularly concerned about the welfare of children.

“We’ve all got a lot of shoes that we don’t wear much,” she said.

“I thought it would be a good idea to get gently worn shoes [to

donate].”

Laura’s House development officer Barbara James said the

9-year-old organization can use many types of donations. Laura’s

House strives to reduce domestic violence through education,

outreach, support programs and shelter, she said.

“We certainly are very pleased with any donation that we receive,”

James said. “Private support is imperative to continuing service to

our clients.”

Lazarus hopes customers will be enthusiastic about the program and

donate lots of shoes, she said.

“I hope we need trucks to take them,” Lazarus said. “Hopefully, it

will be successful, and we can repeat it.”

Sole Comfort, 837 Avocado Ave., will offer $10 off the purchase of

a new pair of shoes to customers who donate an old pair of any type

of shoes. The donation program runs though Dec. 31. For information,

call the store at (949) 644-5939.