ABOUT US

Heart and Sole is a vibrant shoe and accessory store in beautiful Victoria, BC Canada. Our store is located at 1023 Fort St in

a gorgeous 1929 Tudor-style heritage building between Vancouver and Cook. We specialize in a little bit

of everything for everyone with a wide selection of unique footwear and accessories. Whether you are looking for a casual black sneaker, a sparkly head turning heel,

or something in between, we carry something for you. Attention to detail is a quality we always look for in the brands we sell allowing

us to have brands from all around the world. Some places our products come from are: Spain, Portugal, Israel, France, Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

​Our store is perfect for the fashion-forward and comfort-minded customer. Some of the fabulous shoe lines we carry include: Birkenstock, Bueno, El Naturalista, Glerup, Johnston & Murphy, Josef Seibel, Mephisto, Naot (men), Red Wing (Heritage), Wolky, Geox and more. We recently started carrying AllBirds, Alegria, Soft Step, and Sauve (Spring '24).  Our collection of socks and leg-wear is one of the largest in Western Canada including Darn Tough, Smartwool, and Sockwell.

About the Owner

Keith Gage-Cole is Victoria born and raised and has worked tirelessly as a business owner and leatherworker for over 50 years.  He opened his first store in 1969 alongside Glen Lynch, which they called Baggins. Today, Baggins is still thriving specializing in Converse and Vans under the ownership of Lynch. Since the opening of his first business, Keith has gone on to being the founder and co-founder of many successful retail shoe and accessory businesses including, Footloose shoes, Sandalman (his own handmade sandal brand), Heart and Sole Too, and of course, Heart and Sole. Presently, Keith focuses solely on the ownership of Heart and Sole.

Besides his hardworking nature and keen business sense, Keith excels in story-telling and creative projects.  His love of the arts is reflected in his conversations and ideas for improving the store. When in the store, he is often found behind the front counter talking with customers or running around the shop with a set of new creative ideas. Outside his business, he loves taking trips to Mexico.

Meet The Team

Administration / General Manager: Jim

Jim moved to the island in 1996, and had also been involved with a number of theatrical productions throughout the years here in Victoria. You will often see him running between the back and front of the store helping aid the floor staff while also keeping the store running smoothly from an administration standpoint. Jim is the glue that holds the store together. With his sense of humor and decades of shoe knowledge, he brings a sense of elegant  joy into the store. Jim has been with Heart and Sole since 2020 and brings a wealth of experience from the shoe retail world.

Assistant Manager: Rachel

Rachel was born and raised in Victoria. She is currently in university completing a BSc in Psychology with a minor in visual arts. In between her studies and along with art show preparations, she works at keeping the store from falling apart. If Jim is the glue, Rachel is the clamp that ensures the glue is supported. She is often seen running around the store helping floor staff, installing and fixing technology, and keeping up on administration while Jim is away. Her infectious laugh always lights up people’s day. She has been with Heart and Sole since 2020 and brings over 6 years of shoe retail experience.       

The Floor Team: Ben (Team Lead), Brenda, Sarah, and Kaelan

Each member of the team brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table ensuring the optimal experience for everyone. With their individual strengths and love for shoes, all of our team members make the shoe shopping experience fun for even those who struggle with their feet. The team is amazing at offering a compassionate, exciting, and inclusive environment to everyone who enters the store. Each team member uses their knowledge and expertise to help work with the customer to find the happy medium between customer want and need. Our store would not be successful without these wonderful people who create meaningful connections with our customers.

Our Loveable Store Greeter!

It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of Snippet on Tuesday, May 21st/2024 Snippet was a Parson Russell terrier who loved to stay by her caregiver’s side. She and Keith would go everywhere together and were rarely seen apart. She held the title of honorary store greeter and took her job very seriously. Snippet would spend her day in the store greeting customers and shaking them down for treats with her adorable stare. Besides greeting, she would offer support during the shoe trying process by sitting next to customers and listening to their thoughts on the shoes. She had strong opinions about squirrels and crows often howling at the mere mention of them, and was often heard responding with a howl to Keith professing his admiration to her. She was a Snippet of love and joy who loved being the centre of attention. She was adorable and she knew it!

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Whenever we can, we buy local! And we truly appreciate when you buy local too!