Staff photo by Clay Schuldt Shoe Sensation, a new shoe store at the Supercenter Square at 1704 Westridge Rd. near Walmart, opened its doors Thursday morning to a long line of customers.

NEW ULM — Shoe Sensation opened its doors Thursday morning to a long line of customers.

The new shoe store is at the Supercenter Square at 1704 Westridge Rd. near Walmart.

The New Ulm Willkommen Committee, Mayor Robert Beussman and The New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce were present for a special ribbon cutting ceremony before the grand opening.

Shoe Sensation, Inc., is a privately held corporation in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and operates over 170 stores in several states.

The business provides a mix of nationally branded footwear including Under Armour, Nike, Clarks, Skechers and many others.

In addition to a variety of styles of footwear, from work shoes and boots to athletic and dress styles, Shoe Sensation will offer a wide range of shoe accessories like socks, shoe care items and backpacks.

Before the ribbon cutting ceremony, Shoe Sensation CEO Dave Schoengart said New Ulm was the exact type of town they want to run a business. Shoe Sensation only opens stores in smaller communities and staff tries to become involved in the community.

Schoengart said the New Ulm store is a new concept for Shoe Sensation. Typically, Shoe Sensation open in larger spaces, but after some design work, Schoengart and staff were able to find a way to open a store in a smaller facility but display the same amount of shoes as the larger stores.

On Thursday, the first 100 customers received a gift. Customers also registered to win a free pair of shoes for their entire immediate family during the first four days the store is open. On Friday, Oct. 27, Shoe Sensation will give gifts to the first 50 customers after 4 p.m. and will give out a gift every 15 minutes until 6 p.m.