Mother’s Day is everywhere.
Flowers, balloons, gift stands, “Best Mom Ever” mugs as far as the eye can see.
This year at Laced Shoe, our kids’ shoe store in Monsey, NY, we decided to rethink how we do Mother’s Day marketing and make it feel more inclusive for our community.
Walking through the supermarket this week in Monsey, I passed aisles overflowing with Mother’s Day displays. There were 100s of balloons, chocolate covered strawberries at the entrance, and signs you couldn’t miss if you tried. I even grabbed myself a box of chocolates and thought, “You know what? I am going to celebrate me this year.”
But at the same time, something else has been on my mind.
What we’ve been hearing from our customers in Monsey
Over the last few years, we’ve noticed a shift in the conversations around Mother’s Day in our kids’ shoe store here in Monsey, NY.
Alongside the “Do you have a Mother’s Day sale?” questions, we also started getting more comments like:
-
“We don’t celebrate this day, you shouldn’t advertise it.”
-
“What about those of us who don’t have a mother?”
-
“Mother’s Day brings up the worst memories for me.”
Those words sit with you.
As a local business owner, of course I want to run a great promo and drive sales. But as a human and as someone who sees my customers week after week I can’t ignore the fact that this day is really painful or complicated for some people. That’s why we chose a more inclusive Mother’s Day marketing approach this year.
Why we decided to do things differently this year
This year, we chose not to go all out with a big “MOTHER’S DAY SALE!!!” campaign.
No giant Mother’s Day graphics.
No “Mommy and Me” shoe collection front and center like we’ve done in the past.
No assumption that everyone is in celebration mode.
It’s not because we don’t appreciate mothers. We really, really do. Many of our customers are in the thick of it diapers, homework, bedtime battles, “where is your other shoe?” moments, and everything in between. They deserve to be celebrated.
But we also know:
-
Some people are grieving a mother they’ve lost.
-
Some have complicated or painful relationships with their moms.
-
Some wanted to be mothers and that journey didn’t go as hoped.
-
Some simply don’t mark the day for personal or religious reasons.
So instead of shouting “Happy Mother’s Day!” at everyone, we decided to take a quieter, more thoughtful approach to our Mother’s Day marketing.
How we chose to talk about Mother’s Day this year
In our message this year, we focused on something simpler and more honest:
-
Mother’s Day looks different for everyone.
-
However today feels for you joyful, heavy, neutral, we see you.
-
If you do feel like treating yourself, that’s allowed.
-
And if it’s just another Sunday in Monsey, that’s okay too.
We still offered a sale (because real life: kids keep outgrowing their shoes whether it’s a holiday or not). But we tried not to assume that everyone wanted the day labeled and celebrated in the same way.
It was less about “celebrate Mother’s Day!” and more about “hey, however you’re doing today, we’re here if you need us (and yes, we have comfy kids’ shoes).”
If you are in the mood to treat yourself or the kids, we always keep it simple with:
-
Everyday comfy [sneakers] for busy school days
-
Dressy [Shabbos and simcha shoes] for when they need to look put together
-
Easy on [toddler styles] for the “we’re already late” mornings
Why this matters to us as a local Monsey kids’ shoe shop
At the end of the day, we don’t just sell kids’ shoes in Monsey.
We see you on your regular Tuesday afternoons, your last-minute “we have a wedding tonight and nothing fits” rushes, your back-to-school chaos, and your “they grew again already?!” moments.
We hear your stories about your kids, your families, your wins, and your hard days.
So when a day like Mother’s Day comes around, it doesn’t feel right to pretend it lands the same way for everyone. Being part of the Monsey community means paying attention to that and letting our Mother’s Day marketing reflect it.
Choosing a softer, more inclusive approach this year was our small way of saying: we’re listening.
Looking ahead
Will we acknowledge Mother’s Day again next year? Probably.
Will we do it with more sensitivity than we did a few years ago? Definitely.
What this year taught us is that:
-
It’s okay for a business to say, “This might be a hard day for some of you.”
-
You can still run a promotion without centering it on a holiday that hurts for some people.
-
Celebrating active moms and holding space for everyone else can live in the same place.
In the meantime, whether today was:
-
flowers and brunch,
-
a day you’d rather ignore,
-
or just another busy Sunday getting kids out the door with matching shoes
We’re grateful you let Laced Shoe be a small part of your family’s everyday life here in Monsey, NY.
And if you ever walk into our store on a day that feels a little complicated, know that you are always welcome to browse, chat, or just grab what you need and head out. No explanations required.
About Laced Shoe
Laced Shoe is a kids’ shoe store in Monsey, NY, helping local families find comfortable, well fitting shoes for school, Shabbos, simchas, and everyday wear.