Micky Loveman
Recognized by a noted retailer as the "Number One Shoe Salesperson in America," Micky Loveman spent a lifetime working in Baltimore's retail shoe business, building a loyal client base. Micky was born in 1918 and moved to Baltimore from Massachusetts at age seventeen to live with her aunt and uncle, after her mother was tragically struck and killed by an automobile. She started selling ladies' shoes shortly after her marriage to Frank Loveman in 1941. Attributing much of her sales success to her motto, "Service, Smile and Sincerity," Micky worked for many years at Hess Shoes, before leaving for Nordstrom's in 1991. Widowed in 1996, Micky surrounds herself with collections from local yard sales, has an active social life, many younger friends and a special beau, Saul.
Micky talks about growing up outside of Boston, her mother's accidental death, and moving to Baltimore to live with her aunt and uncle on Eutaw Place after finishing high school in Springfield, Massachusetts. Her father would go on to remarry and have another child, Micky’s stepbrother. Even though Micky didn't grow up with her stepbrother, they became and remained close as adults. Micky's stepmother died of leukemia, and her father was killed in a house fire. Growing up, Micky’s father was not religious, but she attended an Orthodox shul with her mother. After her aunt and uncle moved to Florida, Micky decided to stay in Baltimore, where she had made friends and found work as a bookkeeper. Around this time, Micky met and married her husband, Frank Loveman, a legally blind divorcee who ran the family shoe store business, where Micky worked. She remained a shoe saleswoman for sixty years, working for Loveman’s, Hess Shoes, and Nordstrom's in 1991. She enjoyed this work and describes her career selling shoes as “a dream.” Micky shares the secrets of a successful salesperson: service, smile, and sincerity. She was recognized for her work with write-ups in magazines and received the 1978 National Shoe Retailer’s Award of America. She has kept a pile of letters from happy customers over the years. Micky details the working world – her proteges, managers, competition, and customers. Micky also discusses changes in shoe styles, trends, and prices. After Frank died from emphysema, Micky met a companion, Saul Goldberg. Micky has enjoyed sewing, photography, collecting jewelry, and spending time with friends in recent years. Finally, Micky reflects on her life's accomplishments and biggest adventures.
