Rachel Northrup McGee is the new owner of Cute But Crazy Socks, and she wants you to know that she is ready to step in and bring her unique style and personality to CrazySocks.com. I interviewed Rachel to learn more about her story, her vision for the new era of Cute But Crazy and her goal as a sock seller: to help people celebrate life through socks.
Andrea: Hey Rachel! I’m so happy to get to talk to you about socks. Tell us — which pair are you wearing today?
Rachel: Today, I am wearing the Sheer Rose socks by Sock It to Me. They have a cotton toe and heel, and they look a little fancy, which works perfectly because I am wearing fancy shoes today.
Andrea: I have been in the sock business a long time myself, and everyone always asks, “Why socks?” It gets old after a while… But I guess for the record: why socks?
Rachel: I believe everyone should have a way to express themselves, and socks are one of the easiest ways to do that. No matter where you work or how you need to dress, socks can show your interests, beliefs, personality and sense of humor while still fitting almost any dress code.
Socks also never get old to me. There is always a new season and always a fresh group of fun designs to discover. Since socks are not a major luxury purchase, people can afford to own several pairs and change them with their mood or the occasion.
They also make great gifts. A special pair of socks can show someone that you know them and understand what they love, without spending a lot of money. At the same time, socks are a basic need that can either feel ordinary or magical. I choose magical.
When I was 15, I climbed Mount Rainier in Washington with my family. That experience taught me how important the right fabric can be when you are sweating and climbing in cold, snowy weather. After college, I worked in the outdoor industry, where there is a saying that cotton kills. I learned why wool and polyester can be much better choices in certain conditions.
Cotton socks are perfectly fine for an average Tuesday, but when the weather turns cold, you will usually find me wearing Darn Tough socks or alpaca socks.
Socks can also help people feel connected. When I meet up with my college friends, we love wearing matching socks. It is a simple and fun way to celebrate our friendship and the things we love.
Bamboo socks are another favorite of mine because they feel so soft. We also carry some beautiful and more refined designs that fit where I am in life right now. In a world where everything keeps getting more expensive, socks are still an affordable way to add something fresh, useful and fun to everyday life.
Andrea: What has your journey as a sock seller been like?
Rachel: My journey as a sock seller has been wild. Like any business, it has been a roller coaster with plenty of ups and downs. Through all of it, socks and The Purple Doorknob have become a big part of who I am.
I became a mom in December 2016, shortly after I started selling socks. Since then, our family has become completely connected to the sock world. Work and family are often separate parts of life, but that has never really been true for us. When our boys were babies, we did not even need to bring a bassinet to the store. We would simply place them in a bin of socks when they needed a nap.
Selling socks has also helped me build relationships I never would have had otherwise. I love connecting with customers, people in the sock industry and members of our community. Some customers have supported us for years and truly value having a unique local store.
Our wonderful staff members have also become like family. It is so much fun to watch them find joy in selling socks and sharing all the fun, colorful and crazy styles we carry.
Moving our store in 2020 was scary, but we have come to love our new home. Now with CrazySocks.com, we are excited to bring that same joy and personality to even more people.
Andrea: Who are your customers? What’s the vibe of your store in Ellicottville?
Rachel: Our customers include both local shoppers and visitors from across the region. Many locals come to us because they love having a great sock collection, and we have become one of their favorite places to find gifts.
Ellicottville is a ski town with two resorts, so we also welcome many visitors from Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, other parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and even Canada. Some people first discover us while shopping around town, but for many, stopping in for a new pair of socks has become part of every trip to Ellicottville.
Most customers come in looking for something cute, funny, colorful or a little quirky. Others need something very specific. They may want bamboo, alpaca wool, sheer socks or socks made for skiing, running, biking, work boots or steel toe shoes. In the end, we really do have something for everyone.
The store itself is colorful, welcoming and full of personality. It is located in a historic building that has been in my family since the 1800s. The floors include wood from the local Fitzpatrick and Weller timber business, and the original tin ceilings are still in place. We even have a real purple doorknob on the front door.
We have an entire room for children’s socks, a strong love for the Buffalo Bills and a wide mix of designs featuring art, animals, plants, humor and just about everything in between. Our goal is to help people celebrate life through socks, whether they are looking for joy, comfort, laughter or the perfect gift.
Andrea: Our store Cute But Crazy Socks shuttered its retail location in Bellingham, Wash. in May and was about to retire our website when you decided to step in and take over! What helped you make the decision?
Rachel: Our website has never been a major part of our business. We first created it so customers who visited our store from out of town could order more socks after they returned home. We always hoped to reach a larger audience online, but we never gave it the time and attention needed to really grow.
A few years ago, we opened a second location in Buffalo. It did not work out the way we hoped, and we recently made the difficult decision to close it. Once that chapter was finished, we started talking seriously about putting more energy into online growth.
As part of those talks, we realized that while we love the name The Purple Doorknob, it may not be the clearest name for someone searching online for socks. We were already thinking about buying a separate domain that made our business easier to find.
Then Urania came to us, and the timing felt almost meant to be. Cute But Crazy Socks already carried many of the same brands we sell and the business felt like a natural fit from the beginning. The decision was an easy one.
We are excited to build on what Urania created and bring the same fun, personal shopping experience we are known for in our store to customers across the country and around the world.
Andrea: What new directions do you plan to take Cute But Crazy in?
Rachel: I would not say we are taking Cute But Crazy in a new direction. Our goal is to build on what Urania already created.
We want to continue offering a large and varied collection of socks that are funny, unique and meaningful to people from all walks of life. We will also carry socks made with special materials and designs for different needs, including comfort, work, sports and outdoor activities.
That mission already fits closely with what we have built at The Purple Doorknob, so bringing the two businesses together feels very natural. It is almost like blending two families that already share many of the same values.
It also feels very full circle to bring the Cute But Crazy inventory and business to Ellicottville, where Urania began her own journey selling socks. We are excited to honor what she built while continuing to grow the collection and reach more customers.
Andrea: Will you be adding any new and exciting sock brands to the collections at crazysocks.com?
Rachel: That is a definite yes. Urania has already built a great collection at CrazySocks.com, but we are always searching for new and exciting socks that offer something different. That is true today, and it will still be true years from now.
We also carry a few brands at The Purple Doorknob that were not already available through Cute But Crazy. One example is Boogie Toes, which makes socks and soft booties for newborns through toddlers. Some styles have little bells on the toes, which are fun and can help parents keep track of little ones once they start moving around.
We will be adding products from some of the brands we already carry, while also continuing to look for new designs, materials and ideas. Urania has already created a wonderful selection, and we are excited to keep building on it.
Andrea: What does it mean to you to run a “woman-owned business”?
Rachel: Running a woman-owned business makes me feel proud, grateful and connected to the women who came before me.
I started the business as a single woman in 2015. Since then, I have gotten married and built a strong team around us. One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that growth cannot happen alone. I have certain strengths, but I also need people around me who are better at the things I am not.
Things have changed so quickly that it can be easy to forget how far women have come in a fairly short time. My grandmother lived during a time when women could not always open their own checking accounts or get credit cards in their own names.
I am fortunate to come from a family of women who have been pioneers in business and in their careers. Across several generations, many of the women in my family have created very successful businesses. Following in their footsteps means a great deal to me.
I also love supporting other woman-owned businesses. Many of the businesses in downtown Ellicottville are owned by women, which makes our community feel especially strong.
There is still more work to do, but I am grateful to live in a time when I can get a loan, own a business and build a life around work that I love. Selling socks has given me that life, and I will always be thankful for it.
Andrea: Tell us about your awesome team of staff!
Rachel: Our team includes people in many different stages of life, and each person brings their own strengths and personality to the store. Some love meeting new people and helping customers find the perfect pair of socks. Others enjoy working with data, organizing products and making sure the store looks amazing and is easy to shop.
We often give young people their first jobs, and one of the best parts is watching them grow, gain confidence and learn skills they will carry with them into adulthood.
Some return to work during school breaks, while others move on after graduation to college, new jobs and other opportunities. We are always excited to see them grow, and many still stop by to visit and share updates when they are back in town.
We also have team members who truly love working at The Purple Doorknob and have stayed with us for many years. Some have even been part of the business for more than a decade. That mix of different personalities, fresh energy and years of experience makes our team very special.
Andrea: Cute But Crazy has always been dedicated to making a difference for mental illness through our partnership with NAMI. Will you continue working with the National Alliance on Mental Illness and/or supporting other causes through socks?
Rachel: Absolutely. Supporting good causes has always been an important part of our business, and we plan to continue doing that with NAMI.
NAMI helps improve the lives of millions of people affected by mental illness. That mission feels especially important in a small community like ours, where we have seen the pain that mental illness and suicide can cause.
Mental illness is an illness, and people deserve support, understanding and professional care. Asking for help does not make anyone weak or less worthy. We believe it is important to reduce the shame around mental health and make sure people know that help is available.
We will continue supporting NAMI, along with other organizations and causes that make a positive difference in people’s lives.
Andrea: What else do we need to know?
Rachel: The only thing left to do is visit us at The Purple Doorknob in Ellicottville or browse our collection online at CrazySocks.com. We would love to help you find your next favorite pair.
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