La Jolla women who appreciate the art of a well-designed shoe probably know about Serenity Boutique that opened at 864 Prospect St. in December. The boutique sells Jeffrey Campbell’s collection, Dan Sara’s boots, Kelsi Dagger’s snakeskin-patterned heels, Voletile’s sandals and Brazilian designer Schutz’s strappy heels. Jeffrey Campbell’s 4-inch turquoise heels constructed of soft Italian leather appear comfortable enough to be Cinderella’s nocturnal slipper for both the coach and the pumpkin. “Women tell me that these shoes don’t hurt their knees,” said 35-year-old Axelan Ziba, who opened the store with his wife, Farnaz. The couple set up the boutique to show off their designers’ work like an art gallery. A single shoe is displayed on ornate wooden tables. Thick red-and-gold curtains hang from the windows; paintings stand on easels and a plush red ottoman rests in the center of the room. “We made it just like you’re at home,” Axelan said. “You won’t see any shelves because that means you’re in a store. We want people to know that this is their shoe closet.” The couple chose the small store on Prospect Street for its ornate façade with angels chiseled into the stone, and because rent on Girard Avenue was double the price. “We have to work harder to be recognized by tourists and locals,” Axelan said about his location on Prospect Street. “We’re surviving 40 percent from locals and 60 percent from tourists. We do want to become a destination for locals.” The Zibas moved to San Diego two years ago from Montreal, where they ran a women’s apparel boutique and sold shoes privately to clients in Toronto. Emigrants from Iran, Franza holds a degree in fashion design and Axelan works as a business consultant. Axelan has also recently published a book called “Journey to Unknown” about his family’s tribulations following the Islamic revolution in Iran. Serenity Boutique is located at 864 Prospect St. For more information call (858) 551-8160 or visit www.serenityshoes.com. From toe to head The lagging economy that has tipped businesses into bankruptcy has also opened the door to other enterprises in La Jolla. Such would be the case for Hats Unlimited, a family-owned store at 955 Prospect St. that sells all styles of hats for style and sun protection. The Gruppioni family jumped on the chance to open its fourth hat store in La Jolla last Nov. 19 when Tigris boutique closed. “We chose La Jolla because we were looking to expand. There usually are never any locations open but because of the terrible economy, we decided to get in when we could,” said store manager Libero “Bear” Gruppioni. Gruppioni, 22, is fresh out of San Diego State University where he studied business management and entrepre-neurship. He’s never managed a store or people before and he’s thrilled at the experience that has taught him new skills like time management. “I did a feasibility study on opening a store that turned into a realistic possibility,” Gruppioni said. “After graduating college, within two weeks I had an offer on two locations down here. Within 48 days we had opened.” Fabirzio and Elizabeth Gruppioni have been selling hats since 1994 in other sunny spots in Ventura, Palm Springs and Palm Desert. Baseball caps, beanies, bucket hats, visors, straw hats and extreme sun-protection hats (with flaps to shade the neck) fill the 900 square feet of retail space. “Tourism is a big part of our business,” Gruppioni said. “People come here who have forgotten their hats.” The holiday season brought plenty of business for Hats Unlimited but foot traffic is slow right now. Gruppioni expects business to pick up in March. For information, call (858) 551-5535.