Next time you stop by Mar-Lou Shoes don’t forget to wish us a Happy Birthday! April 21, 2018 marks 60 years in business! That is a whole lot of shoes and more importantly, thousands of happy customers.

From our humble beginnings at The Old Cleveland Arcade, to our large stand-alone store at 5471 Mayfield Rd., in Lyndhurst, we have always prided ourselves on serving our friends and family with the best quality, fashionable footwear. 

 Second generation Mar-Lou owner, Daniel Ungar said, “We’ll be celebrating our success all year with special in-store events and sales, the highlight of which will be our extended birthday bash for all of our customers and community (this) April.” 

 In April of 1958, Dan’s father, Henry, “Bud,” Ungar named the business after the love of his life and adoring wife, Marcia Lou–who had size 10 ½ narrow feet. 

 For the Ungar’s Mar-Lou Shoes means more than business, it means family. 

 “My first memories of the store are from when I was a really little kid,” Dan said.  

“I went downtown to our original store at the old Arcade Saturday mornings with my Dad. I looked forward to it because we would go to the Clover Leaf restaurant and we would have eggs and toast while my dad would fraternize with other merchants in the arcade. I loved being in that atmosphere.” 

 From 1972-1994, Mar-Lou Shoes expanded to four locations across the Cleveland area, eventually culminating in the large Lyndhurst store we know and love today. Through its growth, Mar-Lou Shoes and the Ungar family have continued to provide their customers with an extensive selection of fashionable, hard-to-find sizes for men and women. 

 “I have good memories from around 10 years old of starting to sell shoes,” Dan said. “I would follow my dad around and shadow employees as they showed lots of shoes to customers.” 

 Bud passed away in 2014, but Marcia continues to promote the business in the community and even stops by occasionally to greet customers, and look around at the store where their love grew. 

 Marcia and her daughter will be performing a piano and flute duet at the 60-year anniversary party on April 21st. There will also be birthday cake, a collaboration with a vendor and giveaways! 

Mar-Lou Shoes would like to invite all of their customers to join them for the special day!