Our Story

I'm Anna Mastroianni, owner of SOLE Shoes, and for 25 years I've had the privilege of helping people find shoes for some pretty important moments in their lives.

SOLE began in downtown Westfield in 2001 with a collection of unique Italian children's shoes. Before long, we expanded into women's and men's footwear and accessories, but our approach has never really changed: find wonderful shoes, know the people we're buying them for and offer the kind of personal service that makes shopping locally different.

Personally Chosen

Twice a year, I travel to Italy to personally select new styles and work with small, family-owned factories where shoemaking skills have been passed down through generations. 

Over the years, those relationships have grown into something even more special, leading to our own SOLE brand of shoes for women, men and children—styles created specifically for our customers and our store.

While Italy will always be at the heart of SOLE, our search for something special has taken us far beyond it. Today, we source distinctive footwear from Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Australia and other parts of the world—always looking for shoes that are beautifully made, a little out of the ordinary, and worthy of a place at SOLE.

When I'm buying, I'm not thinking about an anonymous customer. I'm thinking about the people who walk through our door.

I'll spot something and think, Nicole would love that, or remember that Paul is probably due for another pair of black dress shoes.

After 25 years, it really is that personal.

From First Steps to Red Carpets

It's amazing to think about where shoes from our little store in Westfield have travelled. They've appeared on stage at the Met and walked the red carpet at the Oscars and Emmys. They've gone to weddings, communions and job interviews. They've headed off to countless first days of school.

And some of the most important journeys have been just a few tiny steps long.

We've fitted babies for their very first shoes and watched many of those children grow up in front of us. We've kept feet comfortable through busy days and toes warm through New Jersey winters.

Because the right shoes aren't just about what you're wearing. They're about where you're going and how you feel when you get there.

25 Years in Westfield

SOLE is still proudly independent and still right here in downtown Westfield, in the historic Arcanum Building. We've been fortunate to receive awards, including recognition as one of New Jersey's best shoe stores, and to see our shoes featured in fashion publications. Those accolades mean a great deal to us.

But the greatest compliment is when someone comes back.

It's the customers who have shopped with us for years, the families we've watched grow and the new faces who walk through our door because somebody told them, “You need to go to SOLE.”

That's what 25 years of SOLE means to me.

Great shoes. Great stories. And plenty of places still to go.

Anna