We recently went on a vacation to Tennessee, and a part of our road trip around the state was to stop in Pidgeon Forge, home to Dollywood. While our trip entailed listening to live country music, eating Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, riding coasters in Dollywood, seeing the Great Smokey Mountains, and a bunch of Moon Pies, nothing was higher up on Lindsey and Harper’s list than buying a pair of cowgirl boots. 

We had looked in many shops in Nashville, and boy, did they have boots. Any leather boot you can dream up, they had. As we walked through the isles, it was overwhelming as we waded through people and looked past the buy one get one free signs next to the boots that they seemed to have doubled the price on. Ultimately, Lindsey and Harper decided to wait and see what the rest of Tennessee had to offer. 

In Pidgeon Forge, we were taking in the sites when we wandered into Stages West, which I would describe as a boot store, but they did have other clothes, belts, and custom-fitted hats. It smelled of leather, and the floors creaked slightly as we walked. While it is a large store with a massive amount of product, it was calm and not overwhelming like the previous boot stores. As Lindsey and Harper browsed, they were greeted by a stylish older woman who offered to help find them what they were looking for. She was not pushy or salsey but was there to help if they needed anything. 

They did need help, and Pam proceeded to assist in finding the right size and style they were looking for. With what seemed like thousands of options and my eagerness to get to our dinner theater reservations (that’s a whole other story), I was sure we would be there for hours. I think this would have been the case if not for Pam. You may have heard of the books, The Nordstrom Way and The Toyota Way about having excellent customer service and running efficiently. Well, I witnessed the Pam Way in Pidgeon Forge, and I don’t think either of those books has anything on her. 

She was patient while efficient. She was extremely knowledgeable and had solutions for problems. She was not looking to sell some boots and kick us out of the store; she was looking to have Lindsey and Harper leave with a pair of boots they would use and enjoy. They started with style and then moved to fit. As they narrowed down the selection, she began teaching. She explained a boot jack and how that would prevent me from pulling on Lindsey’s boot while she lay on the couch to remove them. She had them identify any spots that rubbed before steaming and using tools to permanently manipulate the boot for a custom fit. During the whole process, she was kind and never rushed. She made them feel like they were the most important thing, giving them her undivided attention. 

While this was happening, I annoyingly asked Pam questions about the process, how long she had been selling boots, what her commute was like, and so on. Even with me as a distraction, she didn’t miss a beat. She had her method, and I think one would be hard-pressed to find someone better at selling boots. 

With Lindsey and Harper happy with their new footwear and all of us thrilled with the experience, I attempted to tip Pam. She said she was flattered but would not take the money. She said if we were happy with her, then to go online and leave her a review, so Lindsey did just that. If you ever find yourself in Pidgeon Forge, Tennessee, in addition to Dollywood and the thousand other things to do there, do yourself a favor and stop into Stages West and visit Pam. You will get a lesson in customer service, and you may even get yourself a new pair of boots.