There's a few remaining men's fashion houses in the United States. One of them is Boyd's in Philadelphia on 1818 Chestnut Street http://www.boydsphila.com/. What's funky about Boyd's is that it apparently was a funeral home back in the day and the mouldings on the chandeliers that hang from the ceilings are made from button molds. Wow.
Boyd's has some terrrific coupon program that enables you to spend more and save more! They carry a brilliant line of Etro, Canali, Trussini, Brioni, Zegna -- in shirts, ties, suits, trousers. But the one department at Boyd's that is truly outstanding is the men's shoe department. I say this not only because they carry a gorgeous line, but because Joel Jaffe works there.
Joel knows shoes like Einstein knew relativity. He can spend hours salivating about the attributes of a good shoe versus what he calls "junk." I've learned from Joel about the split toe, the shoe shank, the Goodyear welted soles, the last of a shoe, the tongue of a shoe. I don't make this shit up. It really is some pretty cool terminology.
Joel can fit you in a very comfortable pair of shoes as he tells you about the show business, his love of pens, his vintage Patek Philippe, his views on various manufacturers. He's also a mensch!
If you're in Philly, drop by Boyd's and go see Joel. You'll learn a lot about life, a lot about shoes, and a lot about why he's a genius.
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