The Barn Family Shoe Store

The Barn Family Shoe Store is a West Newton shoe store selling footwear for men, women and kids, along with sneakers and accessories. Staff are trained to fit customers properly, and the store carries brands such as Keen, Johnston & Murphy, Ugg, Sorel, Acorn, Olukai and Hoka. Its emphasis on personal service and a broad selection sets it apart from big-box and chain shoe stores.

Russell Wennberg founded The Barn in 1948 by selling overstock sneakers from the trunk of his car in the parking lot where the original Barn building stood on Kempton Place. Shoppers came from across Newton and nearby towns, and he soon opened a store to keep up. Generations of families have since shopped there together, and many customers remember being taken to The Barn as children to buy their shoes.

What to Know

• The store won the BSTA Retailer of the Year award for 2024.
• The store says it has won perennial awards as the region’s top shoe store.
• An email list shares special promotions and events.
• Customers’ email information is not shared with third parties.