2005-10-09 :: 10:14 p.m.
Media Whore III

Owner gets comfy with great stock, people

BY: NICOLE SACK
THE SOUTHERN
CARBONDALE - If you walked a mile in Kim Treger's shoes, your feet would be really comfortable.

For ten years, Treger has been selling "comfortable-funky-moderately priced-euro-inspired shoes," at Walk the Line, a tiny shop located at 703 S. Illinois Ave.

She attributes the longevity of the store to both her customers and Carbondale itself.

"Carbondale is magical. I don't think this store would work anywhere else - at least not the way I run it," Treger said as she pointed to the door, where the hours are posted.

"Tues. - Fri: 11-ish to 6 p.m," reads the door.

Treger is truly a one-woman show. She is the owner and sole employee of the store, which measures 14 by 16 feet. While she is solo at work, she is certainly not lonely. An open doorway near her desk leads into Golgotha Tattoos.

"They are wonderful neighbors," Treger said. "We have a lot of fun and they are so much better than having co-workers. They can bicker like women in a beauty shop and I have to do some damage control once in while when someone's feelings get hurt. But for the most part, we're just one family."

Some time ago the 44-year-old Treger started trading shoes for tattoos, which run down her arms and back. She also trades out shoes for hairdos. Her hairstylist, Barbi Vaughn, owner of Tonic Headquarters, was her very first customer on Sept. 21, 1995.

It is not just shoes at Walk the Line. There are sunglasses, purses and jewelry for sale. An elusive Big Foot windup doll, dirty-word bracelets and sock monkeys? Yes, Treger has those, too.

Treger came to Southern Illinois University Carbondale to earn her degree in print making. Once she graduated, she headed north to land a "big art job" in Chicago. While on her post-graduate job hunt, Treger received her education in shoe sales.

"I didn't know it, but I was a great saleswoman," Treger said.

Her specialty was the comfortable shoes, an area of expertise that she has carried over to her won shop. She never got the job she wanted, but she did get a husband. The couple moved back to Carbondale . After working for other people for a few more years, it was time Treger headed out on her own. WIth a $10,000 loan from her bother, the shop took root on the Carbondale Strip.

Running the store hasn't always been a walk in the park. There was particular January when her store was flooded and broken into - twice.

"I had some trying months, but I never thought of giving up, " Treger said.

Benefits have come not only in monetary terms; they have come in the form of people.

Barb Sibert, of Carbondale, is one of Treger's longtime customers, who spends more time pinching, chatting and showing off photos to Treger than she does concentrating on shopping. Sibert came to Walk the Line to drop of some yarn and left with a new pair of Crocs.

"This is just how she is, she makes people feel right at home, " she said.

When Treger is at her own home, she still remains busy.

"I'm kind of always working, " Treger said. "My husband sits with his laptop and I knit scarves and make sock monkeys."

Her husband Mr. Handsome Koron has recently left his job at Southern Illinois University to start his own business. By January the couple will combine forces to launch an online consignment service to be called "Get rid of that stuff. "