Howard's Shoes to close last door after more than 50 years
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor
A staple on Sheridan Drive will soon be no more. Howard's Shoes will close its doors the third week of July, or when the shoes are gone.

Owner Joe Giangreco said he looks forward to his retirement after more than 55 years in the business.

"We are having a close-out … sell to the end," he said about his stock at the 3476 Sheridan Drive store.

The store opened 17 years ago in 1990 and was the second Howard's Shoes in Western New York. The downtown location, in Roosevelt Square, closed in January 2006 after being open since 1949.

He said his launch and success were attributed to two basic ingredients - sweat and ambition.

When Giangreco saw a trend in his clientele he followed it.

"A lot of business was moving to Amherst and the suburbs so I decided to go to the suburbs," he said about the Sheridan Drive location.

Giangreco said many people have told him they are sad to see the business close especially those looking for hard to find sizes. He said they carried speciality footwear, as well as brand names and various sizes.

He received a letter from a longtime customer asking if Giangreco knew any place else where he could find his unusual size. Giangreco said he was going to call the customer to try and offer some assistance.

The closing of the Amherst store is a last step for Howard's, Giangreco said. The namesake is nothing special he added, just the name of a manufacturer that stuck.

He said with the doors preparing to close he looks back at all the good times, not the bad times businesses go through.

"I want to thank those for patronizing us and we are sorry that we are leaving. A lot of customers tell me they don't want to see me leave," he said.

Giangreco estimates his last day will be about July 21. For information, call 837-2096.