CASPER, Wyo. — For most people, footwear is simply utilitarian — a piece of clothing worn to protect one’s feet. But for others, they’re pieces of art worthy of collection. For those people, there’s now Box of Shoes, a new shoe boutique located in the Wolcott Galleria.
“Everything we have here is pretty rare stuff that you aren’t able to get at just any shoe store,” owner-operator Zach Knight said. “They’re basically all imported from other countries across the world.”
The store has been open for just over a month, and sports a wide collection of unique and rare shoes. Looking to the future, Knight said he plans on maximizing space and offering even more shoes.
“I can get a lot more out of this space by rearranging some things,” he said with a smile. “There’s not going to be an inch of this place that isn’t covered.”
Originally from Orlando, Florida, Knight has experience curating and hosting pop-up art galleries, and he said he hopes to bring that expertise to Box of Shoes. With the focus on rare and unique items, Knight said his goal is to have collections of shoes that get featured for limited amounts of time before being shuffled out for a new collection.
Currently, Knight is featuring a collection of Vans sneakers in honor of the 25th anniversary of the release of the famous Vault by Vans series designed by Taka Hayashi.
“To me, shoes are works of art,” he said.
All shoes on display are for sale, but Knight said he accepts another form of payment, too: trades.
“There are a few brands that I’m not as familiar with, like Nike. But for the most part, if you come in with a pair of shoes that are in good condition, I’ll be able to appraise them, and we can trade for a shoe of a similar value,” he said.
Though the store is still in its infancy, Knight said he’s been amazed at the positive reception he’s been given by the Casper and Natrona County shoe community.
“The outpouring of support has been incredible,” he said. “I think it shows that this was a niche that wasn’t really being served previously here in Casper.”
