Shoefly plants its heels in Belltown

At the new Shoefly in Belltown, the writing is on the wall: "New Shoes Beat the Blues." Can't argue with that. And there's enough variety at the fourth location of this locally owned minichain to fill a few closets with new shoes.

Owners Shaun and Aryana Han recently closed the out-of-the-way Green Lake store and reopened in Belltown. The vibe of the spacious new shop is hip and urban thanks to an unfinished concrete floor, exposed brick walls, half-timbered beams and tall ceilings. But it still has whimsical touches, like light fixtures with shoes patterned on them; light-hearted wall slogans; and giant ottomans onto which to plop and try on new shoes to your heart's content. They've also added men's shoes and furnishings to the mix – and have given this new stock the Shoefly Guy moniker.

The Hans' selection has evolved with their customers. They continue to offer moderately priced, popular lines such as Seychelles and Franco Sarto, but have upped the ante with upscale lines like Chie Mihara, Repetto and FS/NY (French Sole/New York). They still have a little something for everyone, though, from 20 styles of Haviana flip-flops to funky, round-toe Biviel styles and strappy sandals by Cynthia Rowley. As always, there is an extensive collection of fabulous handbags, from the more affordable, vegan Matt & Nat ($100-$200) to fancy oversized leather bags with all the bells and whistles from Ananas, Francesco Biasia and Isabella Fiore.

For men there are shoes from John Varvatos, Converse and Tsubo, plus socks, belts and Red Monkey watches. There's also a selection of T-shirts: soft T's from Splendid and Velvet; kitschy to cool printed T's; and eco-conscious T's from Zooey (Think Green Be Cool).

The best part? The back of the store is a clearinghouse of sorts for all four Shoefly locations (Bellevue Square, Portland's Pearl District and Bridgeport in Lake Oswego, Ore.). You'll find incredible bargains -- discounts of up to 70 percent -- on in-season and past-season shoes, boots and sandals. Sometimes the Hans even tack on an additional 25 percent discount. In my book, that makes the shoes practically free -- and the store worth frequent visits.

Copyright © The Seattle Times Company