One woman’s childhood love of shoes has turned into a new business along Canal Street in Picayune.
MJP Shoes began as a web based business five years ago, but this year owner Mallory Navarre decided to open a physical location in Picayune.
“The store is just like a dream come true,” Navarre said.
She and her husband are from Slidell, La., but are finalizing plans to move to Picayune now that she has a business here. Navarre said she chose to open a physical location of the business in Picayune because of the town’s family atmosphere, historic feel and Picayune Main Street Director Reba Beebe’s welcoming personality.
Even though her stock is offered at a fair price, she knows that many Picayune residents may not be able to buy the shoes all at once, so her business offers a payday layaway plan. If a customer finds a pair of shoes they like, they can put a down payment of $25 or $30 on the shoes and then pay on them when they get paid for up to two and a half months.
She gets her shoes at trade shows, through wholesale and through her other networking methods. Navarre said she looks for the best deals on authentic shoe brands of good quality.
To Navarre, there are two things that make an outfit, the shoes and the hairstyle.
“Feet are so important,” Navarre said.
While most of her stock is comprised of shoes, MJP Shoes also carries some T-shirts, hats and jeans. She prides herself on carrying hard to find shoes and the latest trends. Navarre said the store is already popular with young adults.
Since Navarre has a job at Stennis Space Center as a network engineer, her store is only open on her days off, Friday and Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. The store is located at 121 West Canal Street. See her inventory at mjpshoes.com or reach her by calling 769-717-2597 during business hours.