About Tops for Shoes
Humble Beginnings

Ellen Carr’s parents, Louis and Sylvia Resnikoff started out in a smaller building down the street from the current location in 1952. At first Tops was a general store. The terms "discount" and "outlet" didn’t exist then but our focus was on purchasing product to sell at a good price. The shoe department became more successful than the other departments and footwear became the focus.

When Tops for Shoes moved to its current location at 27 North Lexington Avenue, the selection was widened to include men’s, women’s, and children’s shoes in 1,200 square feet. In 1984 Tops was expanded to its current 30,000 square feet by enclosing an alley that tied together all the elements of the various buildings and added a unique character to the customer’s shopping experience. Now we carry nearly 100,000 pairs of shoes and have the distinction of being the largest independent retailer in the Southeast for several brands that include Ecco, and Rockport.

The Resnikoffs always stressed that the customers will tell you what you should be selling and that is still the driving force behind our purchasing decisions. Tops sold shoes in the lower price range in the earlier years but today is different. Most shoes in this country are sold by discount stores and are imported from the far east. Tops for Shoes does not attempt to compete in this arena but seeks out high quality lines that are a good value for our customers.