My Brothers great Alden deal...
Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 10:36 pm
Hi,
I've had my Alden's now for six years, and they've just gone through their second resole and heel job, yet the tops still look great. I purchased mine when they were still $179, which brings me to the core of this post.
My brother, three weeks ago, delivered business cards to a shoe cobbler, and while there was looking for a product that would cover scuff marks on his new Wested Temple jacket. As he and the owner talked, the subject got on Indy and "the shoes". It turned out the cobbler thought he might still have a pair of his own 405's that he would sell to my brother. Needless to say those Alden's had been severely damaged and thrown away. But.... the story gets better.
The cobbler's mother who owned a shoe store (must be a family trade) in another state was remebered as having a stock room full of them in the early 90's. So the call was made and there just happened to be two pairs of shoes left, one of those pairs was the size my brother wears. Funny thing is is that the shoes were refered to as the Indy Amish boots, because the Amish seem to like Aldens because of their plain looking long lasting appeal (has anyone noticed what type of shoes Harrison Ford wore in Witness?).
The price of the shoes has gone up since the early 90's, some of you here may know how much they were at that time. My brother ordered them and Just received his brand new old Alden's for $160!! That's $130 off the current shoe price. It was a once in a chance deal that he got, all because wearing his Wested jacket in the shoe shop.
S William
P.S. He's a gearhead, but hasn't signed up on this forum yet, I wonder how many more gearheads look behind the scenes that we are unaware of?
I've had my Alden's now for six years, and they've just gone through their second resole and heel job, yet the tops still look great. I purchased mine when they were still $179, which brings me to the core of this post.
My brother, three weeks ago, delivered business cards to a shoe cobbler, and while there was looking for a product that would cover scuff marks on his new Wested Temple jacket. As he and the owner talked, the subject got on Indy and "the shoes". It turned out the cobbler thought he might still have a pair of his own 405's that he would sell to my brother. Needless to say those Alden's had been severely damaged and thrown away. But.... the story gets better.
The cobbler's mother who owned a shoe store (must be a family trade) in another state was remebered as having a stock room full of them in the early 90's. So the call was made and there just happened to be two pairs of shoes left, one of those pairs was the size my brother wears. Funny thing is is that the shoes were refered to as the Indy Amish boots, because the Amish seem to like Aldens because of their plain looking long lasting appeal (has anyone noticed what type of shoes Harrison Ford wore in Witness?).
The price of the shoes has gone up since the early 90's, some of you here may know how much they were at that time. My brother ordered them and Just received his brand new old Alden's for $160!! That's $130 off the current shoe price. It was a once in a chance deal that he got, all because wearing his Wested jacket in the shoe shop.
S William
P.S. He's a gearhead, but hasn't signed up on this forum yet, I wonder how many more gearheads look behind the scenes that we are unaware of?
