Fulton Sun

Starting today, Fulton shoppers once more will have a local shoe store.

The grand opening of Divine Shoes and Accessories, located at 527 Court St., kicks off with a ribbon cutting at 9:30 a.m. with donuts and coffee from Jamolee’s Donuts. There also will door prizes and coupons handed out throughout the day.

Owner Dana Johnson said that when she found out Gidley’s Shoe Store was closing after 42 years in business, she felt called to fill the void.

“When I heard Gidley’s was closing, I thought what a shame that was — I always thought it was so nice we had a good shoe store in town,” Johnson said, noting she herself had shopped at Gidley’s since she was a teen. “I prayed about it, and it just came to me with the thought of going into business for myself.”

A nurse who had worked many years in the medical field — including as a case manager at Callaway Community Hospital and more recently in home health — Johnson said she cashed in her retirement in October and set about setting up a local shoe store of her own.

“I went full-force into it and never looked back,” Johnson said. “I know it’s going to be a lot of hard work, but now I’m working for myself and my family, and it’s going to be fun and light-hearted.”