Greenville Business Magazine 2009 November : Page 59

››emerging companies BY KATRINA DANIEL | PHOTOGRAPH BY OLIVER YU FOTOGRAPHIE ››Shaylon Shoes It’s no secret that many women have that not so secret Imelda Marcos- she of the thousand pair of shoes- gene. Shoes are an addiction, and in his new shop, Shaylon Shoes, Robert Diamond is ready to cater to that addiction. “I believe every woman wants a pair of shoes so that when she goes out, she feels special,” he says. Diamond should know what makes his female clients feel special. After 25 years as ar tistic director at a salon and spa in Nashville, Tennessee, where he worked with country music ar tists and pro spor ts figures, he had originally decided to retire to be able to spend more time with his family. His wife’s work brought the family to Greenville about four years ago and Diamond soon saw an opportunity to build and live out another dream downtown at McBee Station – opening a first class, upscale, almost one-of-a-kind shoe shop. “I watched the area grow, knowing that areas like these are highly desirable in cities that are experiencing growth as Greenville is.” He launched Shaylon Shoes five months ago. “I did a lot of research on the designers and shoes that I wanted to bring to Greenville,” says Diamond. “I have a standard in my head that the shoe has to meet. There are also artistic and quality criteria that I grade it on.” Let there be no doubt, this is not your mother’s shoe store, and it’s not the place she took teenage you to get prom shoes – these shoes are works of art. Shaylon Shoes is a big city boutique, easily at home with several others that are springing up in downtown Greenville. The shop’s décor and accessories are a special point of pride with Diamond. “I started with an overall vision in my head of NOVEMBER 2009 | GREENVILLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE 59 the look and feel that I wanted,” he says, “and then, step by step, I pursued that look, making little tweaks along the way. It’s a process that I really enjoy.” His ideal customer? “She is the one who finds the shoe or accessory item that she loves, and leaves (the store) happy. Oh, and returns to shop again,” he says. And what about the name of the shop, Shaylon? How did that come about? “My wife’s name is Shannon and we have a little girl, London, so I just combined my two girls’ names to create Shaylon” “Women are incredible,” Diamond says. The amount of tasks they juggle each day is crazy. Put simply, shoes are therapy. They are like comfort food or a feel good purchase. I think every woman deserves that kind of love affair.” ■

>>emerging companies

Katrina Daniel

››Shaylon Shoes

It’s no secret that many women have that not so secret Imelda Marcos- she of the thousand pair of shoes- gene. Shoes are an addiction, and in his new shop, Shaylon Shoes, Robert Diamond is ready to cater to that addiction. “I believe every woman wants a pair of shoes so that when she goes out, she feels special,” he says.

Diamond should know what makes his female clients feel special. After 25 years as artistic director at a salon and spa in Nashville, Tennessee, where he worked with country music artists and pro sports figures, he had originally decided to retire to be able to spend more time with his family.

His wife’s work brought the family to Greenville about four years ago and Diamond soon saw an opportunity to build and live out another dream downtown at McBee Station – opening a first class, upscale, almost one-of-a-kind shoe shop. “I watched the area grow, knowing that areas like these are highly desirable in cities that are experiencing growth as Greenville is.”

He launched Shaylon Shoes five months ago. “I did a lot of research on the designers and shoes that I wanted to bring to Greenville,” says Diamond. “I have a standard in my head that the shoe has to meet. There are also artistic and quality criteria that I grade it on.”

Let there be no doubt, this is not your mother’s shoe store, and it’s not the place she took teenage you to get prom shoes – these shoes are works of art. Shaylon Shoes is a big city boutique, easily at home with several others that are springing up in downtown Greenville.

The shop’s décor and accessories are a special point of pride with Diamond. “I started with an overall vision in my head of the look and feel that I wanted,” he says, “and then, step by step, I pursued that look, making little tweaks along the way. It’s a process that I really enjoy.”

His ideal customer? “She is the one who finds the shoe or accessory item that she loves, and leaves (the store) happy. Oh, and returns to shop again,” he says.

And what about the name of the shop, Shaylon? How did that come about? “My wife’s name is Shannon and we have a little girl, London, so I just combined my two girls’ names to create Shaylon”

“Women are incredible,” Diamond says. The amount of tasks they juggle each day is crazy. Put simply, shoes are therapy. They are like comfort food or a feel good purchase. I think every woman deserves that kind of love affair.”

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