"Left foot, left foot, right foot, right; feet in the morning and feet at night ... In the house and on the street, how many different feet you meet."

Dr. Seuss must have been thinking of Roy Miller (owner of Charm Harness and Boot) when he wrote The Foot Book!

Seriously though, many different feet have been coming to Roy's shop in Charm for more than fifty years now in search of quality footwear. Those who are on their feet all day -- construction workers, factory workers, those in the service field, hunters, hikers and other outdoor heavy-duty workers -- find the selection of shoes and boots here to be the very best.

If you haven't been to Charm Harness and Boot for awhile, you'll be in for a treat. Two years ago, they moved from their small shop on the north side of County Road 70 to a large, 8,200-square-foot building across the street. The new store is spacious and bright, and the merchandise is well displayed.

"We don't regret our decision to expand," said Allen, Roy's son, who now manages the store. "Our business has definitely increased since we moved over here. It's still a family operation. Of course, my father still owns it and helps out, but now my brother Leroy and I manage things. We have a great staff -- Naomi, Mary Lou and Darlene are super. My mom, Ida, and my wife, Ruth, even help out when we need more help. We give great service to all our customers."

"Our job is to help select the right shoe for the right job," Roy explained. "That means picking out the right upper, the right sole and the right insole to provide comfort and durability for the customer."

He didn't say anything about the 'left' shoe!

"We're here to 'suggest' the correct shoe or boot," Roy said, "but of course, it's always up to the customer. We ask a lot of questions about the person's working or recreational conditions because it takes a different style shoe or boot for, say, a person working on concrete all day, a truck driver and someone hiking."

The shop's hours make it very convenient for nearly everyone, especially those in construction and factory jobs (see hours listed at the end of this story).

You will surely find the perfect footwear choice -- for men, women and children -- at Charm Harness and Boot, as they offer selections from the following manufacturers: Lowa, Merrell, Harley-Davidson, Sketchers, Muck Boots, Red Wing, Georgia Boot, Rocky Boots, Danner, Minnetonka Moccasin, Drew (a ladies' orthotic line), Soft Spots, Hi Tec, Vasque (high-quality hikers), Justin Boot, HH Boots, Texas Laredo, LaCrosse Rubber Footwear, Tingley and others.

Besides making your footwear choices, you can also discover many other things for work and/or play. You'll find Carhartt outdoor clothing, socks for all types of weather and uses, belts (custom-punched for your exact fit), hats, ladies' handbags and even sleigh bells. Keys, wallets, Under Armour Thermals, Woolrich shirts and John Deere toys (including little ride-on-tractors) are also available. A large area of the shop is devoted to leather gloves, for both work and recreation (many are insulated).

"We have a great selection of deer and elk skin driving and riding gloves," Allen said. "We have them in all sizes, from big to little."

Once you have your shoes, boots and gloves, you'd better treat them right, or they won't perform at their best for you. This shop has a complete line of leather-care, polish and conditioning products for all your leather purchases. One-stop shopping at its best!

Charm Harness and Boot offers a rare Mis-Mate service for shoes and boots. This fantastic service is available for people who have two different-sized feet due to Mother Nature or an accident.

Okay, now we've explored the boot part of the business ... what about the harness part? Well, here's where those of you with horses will find saddles (a nice selection of 20-25), harnesses and Western tack. Along the same line, you'll find animal-health products, leashes, feed supplements, outdoor seed and bird seed.

Another great feature offered by Charm Harness and Boot is their full line of repair service. Have you tried to get a pair of shoes or boots re-soled lately? Good repair seems nearly a lost art these days, but you're in luck at this store.

"We offer full-service shoe and boot repair," Roy explained. "And we repair harnesses, tack and other leather goods, as well."

Between all the fine products and the high-quality services offered, Charm Harness and Boot sees nearly 70 percent of its business coming from a fifty-mile radius around this little Holmes County village. And do they get much business from the tourists visiting Amish Country? Allen says Charm attracts a lot of tourists, and it's common for the women to hunt out the craft shops while the men wander over to his shop.

"Oh, they come in, yes," Roy said, "but they may not buy right away ...'just looking.' Then, sometime in the future, when they're coming back through the area ... that's when they stop in to buy. And then they come back again, and again. And they're hooked on us!"

Is Roy hooked on selling harnesses and boots? Well, he certainly is now, but that wasn't always the case.

"I grew up in this business, but, as a kid, I hated it," Roy admitted! "It just didn't seem all that interesting back then. But maturity made me realize what a good business it is to be in, and now I'm glad I chose it."

And so are Roy's sons, Allen and Leroy, as they work to keep the store's fine integrity known far and wide.

So, if you travel to Charm and visit the new shop on the south side of the road, I bet you, too, will be glad Roy chose to sell boots -- and so will your feet!

Charm Harness Boot, 4441 CR 70, PO Box 114, Charm, Ohio 44617; (330) 893-0402; hours: Mon. and Tue., 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Wed. and Fri., 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Thu. and Sat., 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; closed Sun.