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<p>KINGSTON TWP. &#8212; Humphreys&#8217; Bootery and Bags has called the Back Mountain home for a long time &#8212; 59 years to be exact.</p><p>In all that time, the store&#8217;s dedication to its customers has never wavered. It&#8217;s that dedication that helped Humphreys&#8217; win the Times Leader&#8217;s Reader Choice Award as the best shoe store.</p><p>Even though the store has been in its Shavertown location since 1958, the Humphrey family has been in the shoe business since 1940, starting with a store in Kingston.</p><p>Jay Humphreys, owner of the store, said he &#8220;grew up with the business.&#8221;</p><p>As the only son of six children, he said he was &#8220;destined to be the shoe boy.&#8221;</p><p>He credits the store&#8217;s longevity to customers being &#8220;great people.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;They understand you get what you pay for,&#8221; Humphreys said.</p><p>Humphreys said the store&#8217;s employees stay with the customer before, during and after the sale, which is something chain stores can&#8217;t do.</p><p>&#8220;We never run away from a problem,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Being the small, hometown store it is, Humphreys&#8217; is unusual in the fact it still offers &#8220;HomeCharge.&#8221;</p><p>HomeCharge was created before the likes of Visa and MasterCard. The store still honors it for families who have had accounts in the past.</p><p>&#8220;They come in, and take what they want. We mark it down and bill them at the end of the month,&#8221; Humphreys explained.</p><p>Employees also wait on third- and fourth-generation customers.</p><p>Those who visit Humphreys&#8217; &#8220;trust&#8221; the owner&#8217;s decision, whether the decisions are fashionable or not.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s all about comfort,&#8221; Humphreys&#8217; said.</p><p>Along with selling brands such as Noat, Birkenstock, Dansko and Uggs, in the back of the store are handbags and other accessories.</p><p>Humphreys&#8217; is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_TTLXXXX17HumphreysBestOf1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Jay Humphrey, owner of Humphreys&#8217; Bootery and Bags, stands in his store. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_TTLXXXX17HumphreysBestOf1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Jay Humphrey, owner of Humphreys&#8217; Bootery and Bags, stands in his store. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_TTLXXXX17HumphreysBestOf2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Humphreys&#8217; shoes </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_TTLXXXX17HumphreysBestOf2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Humphreys&#8217; shoes </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>Humphreys&#8217; Bootery and Bags.</strong></p><p>Back Mountain Shopping Center, 1900 N Memorial Hwy, Shavertown,</p><p>570- 674-5300</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Dedication helps Humphreys’ stay on top