Teddy Shoes

Teddy Shoes is a family-owned specialty dance and footwear store in Central Square, Cambridge, in business since 1957. It is best known for a large selection of dance shoes and supplies for ballet, ballroom, flamenco, Irish step, jazz, tango, tap, swing, Zumba and more, from brands such as Capezio, Bloch, Sansha and So Danca. It also sells men’s dress and casual shoes, sneakers, children’s and infant shoes, hats, boots, wide widths and women’s sizes up to 16.

Theodore “Teddy” Adelson started the business with little money, and his son Steven later joined him to run stores in Watertown, Somerville and Cambridge before taking it over. The shop shifted from closeouts to dance after Capezio closed its own Boston and Cambridge stores. It works with Boston Ballet, Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre and other schools and studios, and it survived the COVID-19 pandemic with help from a community fundraiser.

What to Know

• Staff focus on proper fit and will stretch dance shoes when needed.
• Dance accessories include tutus, rosin, toe pads, taps, ribbons and dance bags.
• Teddy Adelson died at age 96, and the business remains in the family.
• The store’s pandemic fundraiser drew coverage from the Boston Globe, WGBH and WBZ.