By Maria Bappert
Special to Inside
Personal friends and business associates of Christine Luscher gathered at the Salamander Shoe Store, 4740 N. Lincoln Ave., on Sunday, Oct. 16, for a surprise retirement party for her. Rick Riegler from the adjoining Lincoln Square Optical Store lured Christine into the store via the back entrance on the pretense that he needed something for a customer. When they entered, they were greeted with the traditional "Surprise!" from the assembled guests.
During a post-party interview, Christine said that she had decided that it was time to retire so that she could pursue things that she liked to do. She felt she should not wait until she was too old to do so. She turned the business over to daughter Angela Luscher Aufegger and son-in-law John Aufegger. Both have been working in the store for a number of years and have the experience and know-how to carry on in Christine's footsteps (in Salamander shoes, of course).
The guests congratulated Christine on her retirement plans and enjoyed beer, wine, soft drinks, an appetizer buffet, a cake from Cafe Selmarie and coffee. John had prepared a video show covering some of the highlights of Christine's business activities, including her involvement with the Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce. To cap the event, guests toasted her with champagne.
Christine Luscher came to Chicago in the 1970s from Germany. She did not start out in the shoe business, but in the clothing import/export business. The reason for her trip to Chicago was an unpaid shipment made to one of the merchants on Lincoln Avenue that she was asked to clear up. In her typically thorough manner, she did just that, but also discovered that she really liked being in Chicago and working with the German-American business community.
To learn more about the history of Christine's Salamander Shoe Store, please go to the Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce Web site, www.lincolnsquare.org, and look for the comprehensive writeup about her when Salamander Shoes of Chicago was featured as the Member of the Month in October, 2004. For more information about the quality imported shoes and accessories found at Salamander Shoes of Chicago, log on to their Web site, www.salamandershoes.com. |
