A Carbondale store is walking the line between shoe store and a showcase for local and student art work, a balance, the owner believes, is her perfect oppurtunity.

Kim Treger, an 1985 SIUC fine arts graduate, opened Walk the Line, a women’s shoe and accessories store on September 21 at 703 S. Illinois Avenue.

Treger said the store features a different area artists’ work on her store walls every month. She said instead of having traditional paintings or pictures hanging on the wall, she wanted to do something that ties in to her art background and help out the community.

Advertisement

I wanted to give an alternative place for people to showcase their work, she said. I remember when I was a student there were only a couple of places that featured local artwork, she said. I wanted something that I can look at and enjoy while helping the community at the same time.

The store has featured pictures by Ruth Foote, a SIUC graduate in photography from Carbondale, for the past month.

Foote said the store will benefit from the variety of decor and the artists will benfit from the experience .

As an artist, I appreciate the exposure, she said. Instead of buying work to hang on the wall she has new artwork every week.

Anytime you expose your work in a small showing, you are getting practice for bigger venues, she said.

Treger said artists can have their own space to show their work at her store, which she said is an opportunity for public exposure of the artist and her business.

If people want come in to just see the work that’s fine, she said. Hopefully the artists’ friends will come to see the work and find a pair of earrings they really like.

Advertisement*

In November, Treger will show the paintings of Laura Reichel, a graduate student in fine arts from Springfield. Reichel said she appreciates the unique setting of the store to show her work.

Art is shown everywhere, she said. Art is displayed at the home. Why not in the workplace?

Reichel said the Carbondale community has always supported local art, but artists are constantly looking for different venues.

There are not as many outlets because Carbondale is not a big city, she said. But if you are looking to show your work there are places.

Treger said she worked at a shoe store in Chicage and fell in love with the business. After spending eight years in retail, Treger said she wanted to open her own store.

Treger decided to come back to Carbondale after her husband, Kevin Koran, recieved a job with the University. She said it was a perfect opportunity to try out her own business.

Carbondale is the center of the universe to me, she said. I own a home and my own store. I never could afford this opportunity in another town.

Treger also sells hats designed and made by local resident and stylist Jenny Eustis. Eustis said she is glad that local businesses support area artists.

It shows the artistic side of Carbondale side people normally don’t see.