Chris Berg says he has sold Berg's Junior Shoes, located at 818 W. Sprague, to Alex and Beth McCauley, of Spokane, but plans to work part time at the longtime downtown store indefinitely.

McCauley says he and his wife plan to add adult shoes to the store's inventory, and have changed the business's name to Berg's Shoes. McCauley has a degree in business management and experience as a property manager and parking lot operations manager.

Berg's Junior Shoes has sold high-end children's shoes for 80 years and long has specialized in custom fittings. Currently, the McCauleys and Berg are the sole employees in the 1,000-square-foot store.

Says Berg, "I can be of help to them, certainly, in the short term. They are doing very well learning what it's all about to properly fit the foot."

Berg says that 10 months ago he ran into Alex McCauley's mother and told her of his plans to retire. Shortly afterward, Alex met with Chris and told him of his interest in buying Berg's Junior Shoes.

"I've known Alex since he was a baby. He and his siblings grew up into their early teens in our shoes," Berg says.

Chris Berg's grandfather, Oliver Berg opened Berg's Juvenile Shoes in 1930. His widow, Marguerite, moving the business one block to its current location and changed its name to Berg's Junior Shoes in 1942. In 1950, her son, Jack, took over the business. It expanded to a second location at Shadle Center in 1963, and to a third at University City Mall in 1964.

Jack's son, Chris, began working in the business in 1978, and took over management in 1993. By then, an adult line of shoes had been added to its offerings and the other stores had closed.

A second business, Berg's Foot Comfort Center, is owned by Chris's brother, Bob, at 2925 N. Nevada.

After 30 years of work at Berg's Junior Shoes, Chris says he didn't make the decision to sell without his father's approval. "He actually thought about it and said 'it's a good thing—go for it,'" he says.