(First published in the May 23, 2019 issue of City Pages)
A dramatically remodeled store specializing in medical scrubs is the only one like it for 100 miles
Manager Will Flores inside the Scrub and Shoe Company in Rib Mountain.
Scrub and Shoe Company was already one of its kind when it first opened in 2017. Manager Will Flores says there isn’t another store like it for nearly 100 miles. But its newly remodeled space in Rib Mountain feels more like an upscale boutique clothing shop. The business sells scrubs, restaurant uniforms and even stethoscopes, catering to doctors, dentists, and chefs. The Rib Mountain store is one of two Scrub and Shoe companies — the other was started in Eau Claire in 2015.
The business has roughly the same square footage but remodeled from a wide store to a deep store, Flores says, and the business updated to hardwood flooring and barnwood accents. “It reminds me of a store you might see in Madison,” Flores says.
That remodel came as the business made way for a new Sport and Spine clinic, which opened up in the same commercial building on Rib Mountain Drive. On the other side of the business is the Tanning Studio.
That allows the business to match its product. Scrub and Shoe specializes in scrubs that people actually like to wear, that look stylish and feel comfortable. “You can get $5 scrubs that are throwaways; they don’t look good on anyone,” Flores says. “We consider ourselves to be more of a boutique. Everything is fashion forward, everything tells a story.”
That also includes footwear, which Flores says is designed for medical professionals who spend a lot of time on their feet every day. Many professions outside the medical field could benefit from them.
Though Scrub and Shoe keeps pretty regular hours, many medical professionals don’t. Flores says they will make special arrangements for medical professionals who work non-standard shifts. “We’ll make sure we come down and help someone with weird hours,” Flores says.
Before Scrub and Shoe, many medical professionals in town needed to buy their scrubs online. This store allows them to try on before they buy, ensuring a good fit, Flores says. The store does special orders and will handle any returns, so that busy medical professionals don’t have to.
Scrub and Shoe Company is the second of two stores, but with the growth of the medical industry in the Wausau area and beyond, and with the lack of other scrub stores for miles, it’s very possible there could be more Scrub and Shoe Company stores in the future, Flores says. “We have a pretty excellent customer base,” Flores says. “It’s always great to see all the professionals come in here.”
