View source for Sikes Shoe Company

[[Image:Sikes Children's Shoes 2007.jpg|right|thumb|425px|Sikes Children's Shoes and the Jack N' Jill Shop in Homewood in March 2007]]
'''Sikes Children's Shoes''' and '''Jack N' Jill Shop''' is a retailer of children's shoes and clothing owned by [[Laura Player]] and located at 2719 [[19th Place South Homewood|19th Place South]] in [[downtown Homewood]].

The store got its start when [[Fred Sikes]] opened the first Sikes Children's Shoes store in the [[Stevens Building]] at 2918–2920 [[18th Street South Homewood|18th Street South]] in [[Homewood]] on [[February 14]], [[1955]].

When [[Frank Youngs Jr]] married Sikes' daughter in [[1963]], Sikes promised Young his own store within five years. In [[1968]] that promise became a reality with the opening of '''Sikes & Youngs Shoe Company''' in [[Vestavia Hills]].  A few years later, Youngs removed his name from the store's sign because Sikes was the name that had built recognition and a good reputation. Youngs ultimately divorced Sikes' daughter, but he had already bought the business from his brother-in-law, [[Wayne Sikes]], in [[1991]].

In [[1993]], Youngs closed the Vestavia location but opened another Sikes Children's Shoes in the [[Riverchase Promenade]] across [[U.S. Highway 31]] from the [[Riverchase Galleria|Galleria]].  Although the Hoover store did well, Youngs eventually went to a month-to-month lease as he got older to avoid a long-term one. In [[2006]], he was asked by Riverchase Promenade management to close so the center space of the shopping center could be reconfigured for Kirkland's, which was moving out of the Galleria. Therefore, the Hoover store closed on [[December 26]], [[2006]].  The three Hoover employees were transferred to the Homewood store.

In [[2014]] [[Laura Player]], a long-time employee of the store, purchased both Sikes and Jack n’ Jill from Frank Youngs. The two shops operated as one, joined by an interior passage. When her 20-year lease in the deteriorating Stevens Building expired in December [[2020]], Player decided to relocate to a new building on the site of the former [[Bob Whitley Decorating]] building on [[19th Place South]]. The new location offers more parking and floor space, as well as larger accessible restrooms furnished with changing tables.

The store operated from temporary quarters at 2707 [[Mamie L. Foster Place]] until the new building was completed in Spring [[2021]].

== Locations ==
* Current: '''Sikes' Children's Shoes''' / '''Jack N' Jill Shop''', 2719 [[19th Place South]], [[Homewood]], Spring 2021–
* Former:
** '''Sikes' Children's Shoes''', 2920 [[18th Street South Homewood|18th Street South]], [[Homewood]] ({{locate_address_inline|address=2920+18th+Street+South|zip=35209}}), February 1955–December 2020
** '''Jack N' Jill Shop''', 2918 [[18th Street South Homewood|18th Street South]], Homewood ({{locate_address_inline|address=2918+18th+Street+South|zip=35209}}), –December 2020
** '''Sikes & Youngs Shoes''', [[Vestavia Mall]], [[Vestavia Hills]], 1968–1993
** '''Sikes' Children's Shoes''', 1725 [[Montgomery Highway (Hoover)|Montgomery Highway]] South #115, [[Hoover]] ({{locate_address_inline|address=1725+Montgomery+Highway+South|zip=35244}}), 1993–2006

== References ==
* Wilkinson, Kaija. (February 15, 2006) "Keeping it comfortable." {{BBJ}}
* Goodman, Sherri C.  (February 2, 2007) "Kirkland's moving to new location." {{BN}}
* Hoover closing date from phone call to Sikes store. (February 2, 2007)
* Rebman, Stephanie (December 31, 2020) "Sikes Shoes and Jack n’ Jill Shop relocating in Homewood." {{BBJ}}
* Schnader, Ingrid (March 24, 2021) "[https://thehomewoodstar.com/businesses/sikes-and-jack-n-jill-opening-new-location/ Sikes and Jack n’ Jill opening new location.]" {{HS}}

==External Links==
* [https://sikeschildrensshoes.com/our-history/ Sikes Children's Shoes] website

[[Category:Shoe stores]]
[[Category:Homewood businesses]]
[[Category:18th Street South Homewood]]
[[Category:1955 establishments]]
[[Category:Riverchase Promenade]]
[[Category:19th Place South Homewood]]