Old Shoes Walk Home…. 100 Years Later
Brady Stout is the fifth generation Stout to work at Stout’s Shoes. He graduated from Indiana University in 2009 with a Bachelors in Economics and currently is the web site manager for ShoeStores.com. Below he writes the tale of a century year old pair of boots and their journey home.
Occasionally I receive an email that really makes me smile. About 2 weeks ago I received an email like this. I sifted through my spam, customer service inquiries, and the other unspectacular emails that inhabited my inbox and came across this one email that really caught my eye. The message came from a sweet elderly lady whom I had never met about a pair of boots that she had discovered at an estate sale in Michigan. What’s really remarkable is that these boots are not some ordinary boots. They are 100-year old women’s dress boots. More amazing still is that these boots have Stout’s Shoes tag on the inside of the tongue. Apparently, these boots had been purchased from our store in the early 20th century and made their way all the way up into central Michigan. This is of course why she decided to contact me
This lovely lady wanted these amazing boots to return to their long lost home. Today, about 100 years later, the shoes have arrived back to where they were purchased. Upon opening the package in which they arrived I was astonished to discover that I personally own shoes only 6 months old that are in worse condition. This pair of black dress boots is in pristine condition and crafted of the softest leather. Sixteen eyelits run up the front of the front and the toe boxes are detailed with a quarter brogue cap toe.
They are very fine specimens indeed. I cannot thank the unnamed lady enough for her kindness. There is nothing better than coming across something special in your day without even asking for it.
Describing these antique shoes in text cannot give them justice. Thus, I have included photos so you can take a look for yourself. The boots will also be on display at Stout’s Footwear in downtown Indianapolis very soon. Feel free to stop in and take a quick step backwards in history. Oh yeah, we also have plenty of current fashions for you to try on! If you cannot make it into our stores then feel free to browse our latest arrivals online or read our company’s history. All of this is of course available at ShoeStores.com.
