HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — In Huntersville's Birkdale Village, you'll find Shoed Gallery. Mom and son Ingrid and Irie Butler opened the store during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It has everything from vintage clothes to the latest kicks for all ages.
“Deadstock, brand new, never worn also pre-owned,” Ingrid Butler said.
That is only half of it, though -- the other space is used as an art therapy studio. Classes are offered to allow people to release negative energy through canvas pour painting.
"I started doing this to release anxiety and to help myself slow down," Ingrid Butler said.
The two businesses are merged together into a gallery.
“Bringing basically my son's love of sneaker culture and my art -- and art for soles and souls," Ingrid Butler said.
However, the store’s mission to give back is much bigger.
Proceeds from the store’s resale shoes will benefit the Boys to Men Foundation of Charlotte.
“If we can flip those shoes we’ll give them money back, if we cannot flip those shoes we will just donate the entire shoe bin," Ingrid Butler said.
Youth from the organization are also learning entrepreneurship skills in the process.
“Selling, speaking to customers also having the opportunity to actually work on the sneakers so they are building a skill set at the same time learning to sell what they are creating," Ingrid Butler said.
To learn more about Shoed Gallery visit https://www.shoedgallery.com/ or stop by its pop-up shop Dec. 18- 20.