Their first love was each other. Then there’s the music. But somehow, shoes define their lives.
A Bergen County couple has announced the end of their family business after 43 years.
Marty, 78, and Wendy Green, 76, who once sold shoes out of the back of a van, are preparing to close the last of their five brick-and-mortar stores.
Before they established Just Our Shoes as a comfort-focused Garden State staple, their story began in the world of music.
The two met on November 14, 1964.
Marty, then 13, was playing the piano at a mutual friend’s house when Wendy walked in. They met and soon after went on their first date to the movies.
They have been together ever since.
The high school sweethearts later formed a rock band together called The Germz. Wendy joined the band after attending several rehearsals.
“She would come see us. One day she started singing and I said, ‘Why don’t you sing with us?'” Marty said with a laugh.
The band later produced its own music, including the 1967 hit “No Easy Way Down.” The lyrics were written by Marty’s cousin, who later became a famous songwriter and was married to musician Carole King.
Wendy, a dental assistant at the time, and Marty, who worked in the stockroom of a store called Shoe Town, decided to start selling shoes part-time at flea markets across the state. This has been their hustle for years.
The couple, who have been married for 58 years, like to joke about their leap from the runway to the shoe industry—it was, after all, just a letter jump.
just our shoes
What started as a weekend flea market trip grew into a small local chain, a family livelihood, and ultimately a generational mission.
Later, Marty bought out the owners of Shoe Town in the late 1980s, and the business took off.
During the shoe company’s most successful period, there were five locations in North Jersey.
Their son Matt, 55, recalls helping carry shoes to flea markets as a child. His sister Amy, 57, also helped and eventually took over the business when Marty and Wendy retired in 2001.
Matt and his parents said the high-end store fosters a one-on-one experience with customers. The family said they will try to help people find the best shoes for their feet while keeping up with trends.
Matt said that in addition to the family dogs they bring to work every day, customers also appreciate the personal touch provided by the staff.
“It’s an experience for the customer,” Matt said.
He added that the managers at the remaining two locations have been with the company for many years and have developed close, lasting relationships with customers.
Managers Lisa King and Maribel Soto “have been the faces of the company for years,” Matt said.
Employees and loyal customers are all on a first-name basis. He added that people come specifically to work with the two managers.
Like many businesses, Just Our Shoes struggled in 2020 after the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Without a face-to-face experience, sales struggle.
“Business conditions have changed dramatically post-COVID,” Matt said. “Things have become very challenging, even online.”
The company has survived the pandemic thanks to solid online sales, but it’s trying to compete with giants like Zappos and Amazon whose reach dwarfs anything mom-and-pop stores can offer.
Marty said he even tried making his own line of high-end shoes to generate income.
But now, modern retail pressures are forcing an end they hoped would never come.
Just Our Shoes’ last two locations will close permanently.
The main Ridgewood location will close in the coming months. The Westwood store has closed.
“We’re very sad,” Marty said. “What I miss most is the interaction between myself or any of us and our customers. Our customers are our friends. They are family.”
The goal is to sell the remaining shoes in inventory.
“We are taking the time to close the business and say goodbye to many of our customers we have known for decades,” Matt said.
He said his family has grown with the community and responded to changes in the retail industry since the store opened in 1983.
“Retail has changed dramatically and, while we have worked hard to evolve with it, the shift to online shopping and wider market pressures have ultimately made it difficult for us to continue in the same way,” Matt said. “Most importantly, we are deeply grateful.”
For Marty and Wendy, although an important chapter of their lives has ended, the next chapter of their lives will be about enjoying retirement.
“Running a business shapes every day of your life—the decisions, the responsibilities, the constant action,” says Wendy, reflecting on her time as a business owner.
“When that stops, there’s going to be a real adjustment,” she said. “This doesn’t mean losing purpose; it means redefining what your days look like and what you want them to look like.”
Marty said that, for him, retirement means “investing in comfort, connection, and making your environment feel intentional and your own.”
“I think that’s what we strive for and strive for,” Marty said.
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