What Happened to Florsheim?

[dwebber18]

If its good quality shell then $595 isn't bad, I've never seen them so I can't attest to their quality. Similar Alden's are around $625 I think, so it might be a little bit of a bargain. However, from the pics the proportions and shaping looks a little awkward to me, so I would probably just buy the Alden's for known quality, sizing, and styling. Granted it's all hypothetical, as that's a bit rich for my blood as well.

 

[Tomasso]

If its good quality shell then $595 isn't bad,

It's Horween shell, the same used by Alden and most every quality shoemaker in the world.

 

[dwebber18]

Then if someone liked that styling it would be a good deal indeed.

 

[Riposte3]

I found that odd so I Googled shoe repair in Blacksburg, VA and found several in your area.[huh]

Hmmm. The one I knew about in Roanoke closed down a couple of years ago, but I wasn't aware of the other ones in Roanoke or Pearisburg. Those are still 45 minutes to an hour away, though. The one in Rocky Mount is further, about an hour and a half. It might be worth going to Roanoke if they can manage to do the heels the same day. Even then, I would basically be committing an entire day just to have my shoes re-heeled - something that only takes about 10 minutes to actually do. That's just irritating.

 

[Fifty150]

Are they made in China, now?

India. I can only imagine how much money they save by sending Horween Leather to India, making a shoe, then sending it back to The USA.

 

[Fifty150]

Here I am, today, wearing Florsheim Imperial. Imperial was what Florsheim considered to be the best of their line. Imperial was what they labeled their best of the best. I guess a welted shoe is better than a cemented shoe. This is top tier for discount retail. I would rate them above the Kenneth Cole, Cole Haan, Ralph Lauren, Steve Madden, etc shoes that you can buy at a mall. Not a $500 shoe. Better than the other $100 shoes.



I've had these for a few years. Enough time that I know that they feel good on my feet. I've owned them long enough, that I can say that I have gotten my money's worth. $64. I got my money's worth, and then some.​

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The good is that they are comfortable. Fully leather lined, with a leather sockliner. There is a real Goodyear welt, stitched to a leather outsole. This is a shoe which can be rebuilt. For the right owner, it could last a very long time.

The bad........ Just like a lot of modern shoes, the shoes are lasted onto a synthetic lasting board. There is poron glued between the sock liner and the lasting board. The heel stack is also a synthetic material.

The ugly is the leather. Where does this leather come from? What kind of leather is it? It's not disclosed.


Also ugly is the rubber soling sheet I applied. Homemade sole protectors. Because I want that little bit of extra traction. I am not a fan of leather shoe soles. Slipping, falling, and landing on a city sidewalk is not fun. On these shoes, I used faux shoe lace rubber bands, so that I can slip them on and off.​