Since opening in July, Walking Tots' owners Mark and Kay Mehrens said the children's shoe store's growth has exceeded their expectations. The couple attributed growth to word of mouth, their level of customer service and the distinctive product they offer.

"It's desperately needed in the area," Kay said.

Walking Tots has expanded in six months from 15 brands of shoes to 30 brands, adding about one to two brands each month, she said, while also adding to the store's substantial number of styles.

The couple attend markets in Dallas, Atlanta and Las Vegas at least twice a year to find new styles, although much of their expansion stems from customer input.

Walking Tots provides a variety of shoe options for children from babies to teens, while also offering socks, some clothing and gift items.

"Moms in The Woodlands like hard-to-find brands," Kay said. "They like that casual, fashionable [look] for girls; and for boys, it's always athletic."

She said she hopes to provide more athletic options for soccer, baseball and dance teams in the future, and is looking to provide e-commerce for the business' website. Internet competition is among the biggest challenges facing the store.

"If you're competing against the Internet, you might as well compete against yourself," Kay said.

Although the couple said they are locked in to their current location in terms of expansion, they would consider adding more locations if the business continues to grow.