Robert Yeganeh’s passion for fashion has grown from selling shoes out of his car to a mini-shoe empire in Queens and on Long Island over the last 30 years.
Yeganeh came to America from Iran with aspirations of earning a degree in aeronautical engineering. Little did he know, while still getting his degree from Dowling College, his shoe business would become his life’s work.
“We’re very fashion oriented,” Yeganeh said with enthusiasm. “We’re cutting edge and trendy. We cut right to the chase and give them [customers] exactly what they want, when they want it, at the right price.”
Love My Shoes has two catchy slogans. “It’s a shame we only have two feet” and “It’s a girl thing.”
They offer every type of shoe wear you can think of, including trendy sneaker brands like Puma and Skechers. Love My Shoes carries many brand name shoes such as Juicy Couture, Jessica Simpson, Nine West and Madden Girl. They also have fashionable accessories, handbags, sunglasses and shoe cleaning supplies.
The Bayside store is located at 38-35 Bell Boulevard at the corner of 39th Avenue. It is located in the lobby of the old movie theater, directly below the old residences of Charlie Chaplin and Clark Gable.
The first store opened in Carle Place in 1996, 18 years after Yeganeh sold his first shoes out of the back of his car. He has opened other stores in Oceanside, Huntington and Smithtown, and plans adding three more locations on Long Island and in Queens. He is exploring sites in Forest Hills, Astoria and Babylon Village.
The Bayside store, however, means a lot to the company because Bell Boulevard is an inspiring area for Yeganeh.
“We have strong management and with the right marketing it has really opened the gates for the business outside of Long Island,” he said. “It inspired us to tap into the Queens market.”
They also have a Little Love My Shoes, which is in the same building in Bayside, offering a wide selection of shoes for kids.
“They want what mommy wants, so it’s been a great success,” Yeganeh said.
Love My Shoes is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
For more information about Love My Shoes, call 917-508-1000 or log onto their website at www.lovemyshoes.com.
