Dow Shoe celebrates 60 years

GARDNER — Ernest Dow, owner of Dow Shoe in Gardner, recently celebrated his 60th year in the shoe business recently. Dow’s is one of the few brick and mortar stores around that enjoys continued success, especially in Gardner, a city that was once known for its furniture businesses.

Dow’s carries such brands as Dansko, New Balance, SAS American made shoes, Ecco, and Merrell for men, women and children.

Dow received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Boston Shoe Travelers Association in 2017 for “59 years of outstanding dedication and service to the Footwear Industry.” The award was presented at the Boston Shoe Travelers Association ceremony in Manchester, N.H.

Shoe Retailing Today, a national magazine, featured Ernest Dow in its July-August 2017 issue. In the two-page feature, Ernest Dow was honored for his 59 years of service as the owner of a family shoe store that he opened in 1958 in Gardner and nstill runs today. His reputation of dedication to traditional service and a kind heart have spread throughout the state as customers as far as the Boston area visit his store for quality brands, hard-to-find sizes, and medically necessary shoes.

Also highlighted is the loyal staff at Dow’s, where most have been employed at the store since Ernest Dow’s daughters were born in 1980 and 1982.

The article finds a clever way to reveal Ernest Dow’s honest character, a key ingredient to his success as a business owner, by asking a few non-business questions.