One-of-a-kind Wichita store is closing, but there’s a silver lining

Aida Stenholm, Wichita’s most-colorful shoemaker, said she has good news and bad for fans of her one-of-a-kind creations.

Stenholm and her husband, Brett, have made the difficult decision to close her self-named custom-shoe store at Clifton Square after business on Dec. 23.

The good news is her footwear still will be online at www.aidastenholm.com.

Whether the brick-and-mortar store ever will reopen remains to be seen.

“We don’t 100% know,” Brett Stenholm said. “There are some ideas to maybe come back more improved, but we need to reserve some capital.”

The store’s sales have been all right, but they’re flat.

“We have a core group of customers that are great, and they keep us open and keep the bills paid,” Brett Stenholm said. “There’s no growth to it.”

That’s an issue because the couple took on debt during the pandemic.

Brett Stenholm said that “adds pressure to grow your way out of that.”

Aida Stenholm first started her business from home and then moved to Douglas and Hillside.

She moved to Clifton Square on East Douglas in 2020 seeking more foot traffic.

The Stenholms said the center has been great and offered them a smaller space, but they feel like they need to take a break.

“I never actually pay myself,” Aida Stenholm said.

The Stenholms are going to take a vacation after closing and then meet with business consultants on a possible new plan.

“We need to reorganize it and see if there’s a business there or is this is something she does for fun?” Brett Stenholm said.

Aida Stenholm said she loves to see people in her shoes and how much they like them, and she plans to continue taking personal orders along with selling her inventory.

“This is my passion. This is my life”