Lloyd Sherman and Jessica Wapner are putting their heart and sole into Ninth of June.
The couple, previously of New York City, launched the shoe and apparel store at 2 Court St. in Delhi in late October.
“I had been looking into starting a business up here for a little while,” Sherman said, noting previous and current careers in restaurant ownership and real estate. “One morning I woke up and Jess said to me, ‘You know, what Delhi needs is a shoe store,’ and I said, ‘You’re right,’ and that was the start of that.”
“We’ve been here for eight years,” Wapner, an author and freelance journalist, said. “We actually found the space the day of the idea and it was the only space available at the time. So, if you’re looking for signs about a good idea, finding a space on that same day would be a good one. We were inspired, then we very quickly had very encouraging responses among friends and family in the area. It was about five or six months total, from idea to ribbon cutting.”
Sherman said Jaclyn Guido, of Hamden, designed the store and Jessamee Sanders, of Oneonta, designed its logo.
Sherman said Ninth of June carries “an equal amount of shoes and apparel.”
“It’s sneakers, boots, casual shoes, shoes for a little bit of glamor from time to time, winter boots — really the whole range,” Wapner said. “We focus on fashionable shoes and clothing for practical living, so that’s cozy sweaters and great jeans and comfortable shoes, all of it with some style.”
Sherman, said the store “will be constantly evolving and adding to inventory,” and said stock is a mix of new and known brands.
“It’s a small boutique shop, but there is something for everyone,” he said. “We carry Red Wings — fashionable Red Wings as well as real work boots; and kids’ shoes. If you came to the store, you’d be hard-pressed to leave without something.”
“Part of it is from what we know people love already,” Wapner said. “Like, every single person we would pass on the street would ask if we were going to carry Blundstones, so we knew we were going to have to.
“So, it’s familiar brands that people love, but we’re also bringing in brands that are smaller and less known,” she continued. “But we’re keeping it affordable. We have a lot of great holiday gift ideas and we’ll be open on Black Friday.”
Customers, Sherman and Wapner said, have also been varied.
“It’s been a complete mix, which has been very surprising and very positive,” he said. “And everybody loves to try on shoes before buying them.”
“We’ve had so much support, and from people who are longtime, multi-generation locals,” she said. “We are very much dedicated to the community here. Having a place that was accessible and relevant for all groups or demographics was really important to us. That’s our life here and that reflects us; we’re not siloed off. Shopping is fun, and getting something new, where you feel that what you’re wearing matches how you feel on the inside, is just great for confidence and real beauty.”
In a social media post, they added: “It seem that every day we are having some special conversation, sharing a moment, hearing a life story, and that makes our lives here so rich.”
Sherman said he hopes to grow the shop’s reach.
“We’d like to be able to transplant this concept to other areas that don’t have very good options for shoes and clothes,” he said.
Ninth of June, named for the couple’s wedding anniversary, is open Wednesday through Sunday.
For more information, follow @ninthofjunedelhi on Instagram.