Kajal Ruia is living a dream. Last year the Manchester native decided to leave behind her job at Lloyds Banking Group in the U.K. to do what she actually wanted do to: open a fancy shoe store in New York. Her shop, Ruia, opened this month in a cozy 650-square-foot space at 65 Mercer Street, just north of Broome. Her boutique is the only place in the country where you’ll find shoes by some of Kajal’s favorite European brands, like Baldan and Loriblu. She’s transformed the space into a girlish paradise with white rococo-inflected moldings, plenty of mirrors, and other shiny silver accents — and a television lounge upstairs so husbands, boyfriends, and other shoe-disinterested people can watch sports or something while their companions shop. If you’re looking for a New Year’s Eve party shoe and are in the mood to splurge, this is your spot. Check out the store and the stock in the slideshow.
