Thomas Park’s love of shoes began at the age of 5 when he was given his first pair of Nike Air Jordans and that love has never died - Thomas started his shoe retail business, Leather Soul, in Honolulu in 2004. His main goal was and still is to provide Hawaiian business and professional men with a comfortable store for their footwear needs. Today, two Honolulu locations offer a selection of leather shoes from Alden and Edward Green.
Alden shoes are the heart of Leather Soul's walk-in business. Recognized as the leading maker of shell cordovan shoes in the world, Alden is the only original New England-based survivor remaining out of the hundreds of American companies that were making shoes when the craft mechanized in the middle of the nineteenth century. Alden has prospered thanks to its focus on well-made welted shoes, which makes the line a good fit for Leather Soul's customers.
Leather Soul became of interest outside of Hawaii when Park expanded the company's offerings to include Edward Green's shoes in 2006. Green is one of a handful of the best ready to wear shoe makers in the world and Leather Soul is now one of only two U.S. outlets that I know to be actively promoting Green's made to order program (the sublime Ectons pictured to the left were a recent special order for a customer).
Once a man knows his size, Edward Green allows him to specify shoes from thousands of options, including the style, the last, the sole and the type and color of leather. Four to six months later, a shoe arrives that's exactly what he envisioned, at a fraction of the price of bespoke. It's an addictive experience, as a glance in my closet will demonstrate. It's also a necessity as a man's wardrobe expands since retailers carry at most half a dozen models of the best makes.
Successful made to order requires a dealer to be detail conscious and concerned that the customer knows his fit before accepting an order. Part of Edward Green's attraction is their willingness to re-make shoes in the relatively rare case where there is a misunderstanding, but the best way to avoid frustration is to get the order right in the first place. After all, it's hard enough to wait four months for shoes. If they have to be re-made, it becomes an eight month process.
That's why I like the structured form that Leather Soul uses for special orders. Everything is in writing in one place, unlike the email threads that have caused confusion on some of my orders with Edward Green in London and another retailer in the U.S. A $150 deposit is required, with the balance due when the shoes are ready for the customer.
Leather Soul became of interest outside of Hawaii when Park expanded the company's offerings to include Edward Green's shoes in 2006. Green is one of a handful of the best ready to wear shoe makers in the world and Leather Soul is now one of only two U.S. outlets that I know to be actively promoting Green's made to order program (the sublime Ectons pictured to the left were a recent special order for a customer).Once a man knows his size, Edward Green allows him to specify shoes from thousands of options, including the style, the last, the sole and the type and color of leather. Four to six months later, a shoe arrives that's exactly what he envisioned, at a fraction of the price of bespoke. It's an addictive experience, as a glance in my closet will demonstrate. It's also a necessity as a man's wardrobe expands since retailers carry at most half a dozen models of the best makes.
Successful made to order requires a dealer to be detail conscious and concerned that the customer knows his fit before accepting an order. Part of Edward Green's attraction is their willingness to re-make shoes in the relatively rare case where there is a misunderstanding, but the best way to avoid frustration is to get the order right in the first place. After all, it's hard enough to wait four months for shoes. If they have to be re-made, it becomes an eight month process.
That's why I like the structured form that Leather Soul uses for special orders. Everything is in writing in one place, unlike the email threads that have caused confusion on some of my orders with Edward Green in London and another retailer in the U.S. A $150 deposit is required, with the balance due when the shoes are ready for the customer.
