Heisler's Bootery in Crystal Lake has lived through one pandemic; it's trying to outlast another

Jim Heisler experienced a different emotion at the end of business Saturday for one of the oldest staples in Crystal Lake’s downtown area.

Hope.

On a beautiful sunny day, with little outside interference, Heisler Bootery in Crystal Lake had one of its most profitable days in months.

“I felt real good at the end of the day,” said Heisler, whose grandfather opened the business in 1908. “I’ve been open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., then moved it to 10 to 4. I didn’t finish closing up until 5:30 yesterday. Our neighbors really came out and if we can sustain that …”

Heisler Bootery, like many small businesses, is struggling because of the shutdown with the COVID-19 pandemic. So much so that Crystal Lake Central graduate Ron Repp, now a business owner in Joliet, made an impassioned plea Saturday on Heisler Bootery’s behalf.

On Facebook, Repp urged residents to help the business. He mentioned he had bought a pair of boots there and that Heisler’s is having a 30% off sale. Repp wrote about how appreciative Jim Heisler was and was afraid that Heisler’s could be a few weeks from closing.

“I feel so bad for these local shop owners,” Repp wrote. “Let’s not lose another founding local business, they’ve been her over 100 years!” Repp’s post had many shares and likes.

Heisler said he had no intention of closing Heisler Bootery's doors, but acknowledged that times were incredibly tough. The federal government's Payroll Protection Plan loan helped, but that money is gone. Heisler's was able to get back into business on
May 29 when Gov. JB Pritzker's Restore Illinois' Phase 3 plan kicked in, but still went almost three months without a steady income flow.

Heisler had a couple of industrial accounts that ordered merchandise online and had it shipped. But while Heisler’s three Red Wing Shoes stores (in Crystal Lake, McHenry and Sycamore) were deemed essential because they served first responders, construction people and industrial needs, Heisler’s was not.

“I got a whole load of brand new spring merchandise at the end of February, first part of March, then everything was shut down,” Heisler said. “I’m looking at all this nice spring footwear and I can’t sell it to anybody because they have to look at it, pick it up, feel it and try it on.”

Heisler also said tax assessments in the downtown area have skyrocketed. He says his building was assessed 86% higher, almost $9,000 more than last year. They also missed most of three days when the Black Lives Matter protests were going on in the downtown area, although Heisler pointed out the protesters were orderly and well-behaved.

“It just scared shoppers away from the downtown area,” Heisler said. “Many of the store owners boarded up their buildings for a couple of days. I didn’t. I have a different confidence level in our neighbors and so did a couple other businesses. They came right down our sidewalk, right in front of our door, about 200 or 300 people. They did their thing and that’s great.”

John Heisler Sr., a harness maker and shoe repairman, opened Heisler’s in 1908. It is the oldest member of the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce. Leonard and Dorothy Heisler took over the store from John, then Jim, one of four brothers who grew up working in the store, took over from them. Jim is a retired music teacher.

“I don’t want to go out of business,” Heisler said. “I want to put it right out there in front. I haven’t made a decision to go close. It’s just a real tough time for us small retailers after being locked down for the best part of three months and then getting hit with an enormous real estate tax assessment.

“I had some racks rolled out on the sidewalk and I tried selling some of the new merchandise. I put everything in Ziplock bags and rolled them outside on display shelves so people could at least know they’re clean and see them and lift them up and look at them. That’s the way people shop for shoes.”

Heisler now has his Summer Sandal Sale under way, with most items at 30% off and some as much as 50% off. He hopes that and the uptick Saturday point toward a better summer for his store and other small retailers.

“Here we still are,” he said. “We got through the Spanish flu [a 1918 pandemic], and the first and second World Wars, the [Great] Depression and Vietnam, 9/11 and everything else in between. I’m just too stubborn to give up.”