In Store

Unlikely Pair

It doesn’t take long to see how committed Sadaf Hussain is to her passions. Those who walk into her Phinney Ridge business are surrounded by them: chocolate, shoes and not a hint of leather. 

Photograph by Andrew Waits for City Arts.

A doctor at the Multicare clinic in Kent by day, the forty-year-old says she always dreamed of owning a chocolate shop. Having always enjoyed eating at nearby vegetarian restaurant Carmelita’s, Hussain thought her current location was the perfect place to start that dream, with a few additions, like shoes.

Those shoes, both men’s and women’s, are all vegan, all the way down to the glue that holds them together. Think cotton. Think hemp. Think tire tubes. But don’t think that just because they’re not leather the shoes aren’t fashionable.

Whether you’re looking for sandals, flats, activity shoes, men’s shoes, belts, wallets or bags, Hussain has them in stock. Some are basic and functional with classic designs. Others are bright and sparkle with flair. Brands include Simple, Cupid, Celeste, Burki’s, Splaff and Ethletic.

The chocolates near the back of the store beckon everyone with a sweet tooth. Seattle’s Aphrodite’s Attic chocolates, gluten-free even, are available at the store, as are Olympia’s Blissful Wonders candies and Portland’s Missionary Chocolates. There are cookies, too, like Ballard’s own Skydottir Epic Cookies.

“I told myself that when I retired I’d start my own chocolate shop,” says Hussain. “I haven’t retired yet from medicine; that’ll take a bit longer.” •

The Chocolate ShoeBox
7410 Greenwood Ave. N
206.659.0062
thechocolateshoebox.com