Woman gets to shop for free during shoe store's festivities

An old reliable pair of shoes served Mary Dianne Giddens well Dec. 2 as she rushed through an Evans footwear outlet in an 86-second shopping spree.

Giddens, of Augusta, said she chose a favorite pair of brown leather Clarks backless shoes to help her collect about $350 in handbags and footwear during a free dash through Rack Room Shoes in Evans.

"I think these are pretty good. These are my Clarks, which I've had for years," said Giddens, who was the Augusta-area winner of a shopping spree as part of the national chain's 86th anniversary celebration.

Starting at the front of the store, Giddens quickly slung four purses over her right arm and moved on, collecting two pairs of Nike athletic shoes, some boots, and another pair of Clarks. All boxes and bags that were in her arms at the end of the spree were hers to keep.

"I hardly ever win anything, so it was really a shock," she said.

Giddens said she was informed by store management that she had won the shopping spree about three weeks ago.

Store manager Carolyn Gerard said shopping sprees were awarded to one winner in a regional market across the country. Giddens represented the Evans-Aiken-Augusta region, Gerard said.