neely powell
was raised by amid a cast of
worldly characters. Her mother imported painted tin from San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, while her father owned Little Palm Island, the idyllic Relais & Châteaux resort near Key West, Florida. Their home was always filled with fascinating people from far points on the globe, and it left a imprint on Powell’s personal wanderings. In 1996, while still a student at the College of Charleston, she traveled to a colonial town in Mexico, where she met a cobbler making simple, tasteful sandals. Powell packed as many pairs of sandals as possible into her suitcase and returned home to launch a wholesale business. The sandals sold quickly, and Powell dreamed about expanding the business. She decamped to Savannah College of Art & Design and enrolled in shoe design courses, which led to the launch of a hand-sewn “cobblestones-to-cocktails” shoe line. Drawn back to the wonderment found amid a three centuries old city, Powell returned to Charleston in 2010 to open the Charleston Shoe Company at 161 King Street. One year later, the second Charleston Shoe Company shop opened in the City Market’s Great Hall. Powell now plans to expand her line with a new design and fabrication studio located less than ten minutes from her retail operations. Soon, the shoes inspired by Charleston will also be made in Charleston. charlestonshoeco.com