By Ladie Sadie
‘Tis the season to upgrade your beach style, and there’s no better place to do so than at Natural Comfort Footwear and their new Fish Hippie boutique on St. Pete Beach’s Corey Ave. With dozens of footwear, apparel and accessories for men and women, it’s become a Tampa Bay favorite destination for locals and visitors alike.
After 10 years, their discount outlet store on Corey Ave. converted this summer to a full-line Natural Comfort Footwear store and expanded this fall into a second storefront, next to the theater, where they showcase Fish Hippie apparel for men and more. “We wanted a place that men could find quality clothing and Natural Comfort for footwear that isn’t the mall or strip center. Then ladies kept asking for clothing for them, so we added Lulu-B and Cabana Life,” says Corey Ave. manager Chris Agresta, son of owner Ken Atchinson.
Looking for the perfect stylish but comfortable shoe for the lucky lady in your life? She’ll dance all night in NAOT silver clogs, L’artiste boots from Paris, turquoise/white Onex, Vionics and more. Popular Cabana Life dresses, shirts, and shorts (UPF 50+), Spring Step® shoes decorated with cats or flowers (and boots!), LULU B colorful designs as well as Olukai flip flops, Teva®, Keen®, Helle and OOFOS® footwear with OOfoam™ technology for impact-absorbing active recovery for men and women fly off the shelves.
Since 2010, Fish Hippie’s coastal lifestyle clothing feature high-end pima cotton, many with moisture wicking, perfect for outdoor adventures in paradise from day to night. The popular North Carolina-based apparel line is in great demand and their versatile, premier original styles include polos, short sleeve shirts, hoodies, graphic tees, shorts and hats, many in seaworthy colors and prints.
For men, the Henri Costa shirts make a perfect holiday gift for dinner or a concert. Men will love the stylish footwear in dozens of hip patterns and colors as well as the traditional Sperry and exotic Mezlan (made with ostrich, lizard, or gator) as well as Abaco sport sunglasses, some of which float. Pick up a BOGG bag for the beach.
Natural Comfort Footwear has stores in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tenn., as well as two on Naples’ Fifth Avenue and one in Sarasota’s St. Armand Circle and their popular Beach Drive store in downtown St. Petersburg. The Corey Ave. stores are open 10am-6pm daily. You can hang out with “Trouble” the parrot.