Edward Green Shoes in Washington, DC

[RJman]

Do we _have_ to order?  I'm feeling a bit thrifty this moment having just paid for two new bespoke suits...

I just want to breathe the same air as you guys for a bit.

 

[kabert]

I plan to order a couple pairs -- definitely Dover shoes and probably a pair of Shannon boots.

Several reasons:

-- I want 'em, bad.

-- This is the best opportunity to get exactly the right fit (other than bespoke) on the last that is right for my feet, for no extra cost. I am really looking forward to getting a proper measurement and recommendation. For example, I love the look of the 888, but I haven't a clue whether my feet would work in it.

-- Sky Valet is not just "another" shoe store. They are the best men's high-end shoe store in the DC area, hands down. They are also a small shop, not a corporate chain or even a Louis Boston type place. Their level of service is unparalleled in my experience. They are two very conscientious guys who know shoes inside and out -- they are great resources. That said, they are taking a risk with bringing on Edward Green. If I'm going to be spending money to buy EGs in the style/last/size I want, I definitely want to be giving it to Sky. I want to see their EG program be a success and I want to help contribute to that success. And, they are charging $840 for their shoes -- a whole $10 less than Mitchells/Richards, and considerably less I think than Jay Kos, Saks, etc. charge.

 

[kabert]

One week until the EG trunk sale at Sky Valet....

Yesterday, I got in the mail SV's announcement. Adam told me the Washington Times ads will run all next week, as will the ads on cable TV (CNN, golf channel, etc.).

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Must . . . not . . . spend . . . huge . . . tax . . . refund . . .

 

[RJman]

Must . . . not . . . spend . . . huge . . . tax . . . refund . . .

Yours is huge? Sigh.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser,May 06 2005,13:12
Must . . . not . . . spend . . . huge . . . tax . . . refund . . .
Yours is huge? Sigh.
If it's any consolation, a large tax refund means that your withholding is incorrect and you gave the government an interest-free loan. Plus, your take-home pay is considerably bigger than mine. May the curse of the Friday afternoon "emergency" assignment be visited upon you next weekend. Â

 

[kabert]

Anyone see the Sky Valet/Edward Green TV commercial yet? On Saturday, the brothers ran the tape for me of the two commercials -- one is for the EG trunk show and one if for the store generally. I thought they were very well and professionally done. Interestingly, they told me that the latter "general" commercial is going to run on Comcast cable for the next six months.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Sounds like Sky Valet is going after the high-end market rather aggressively.  I'm curious to see how that's going to work in a city where Ferragamo main line is considered "high end."

 

[kabert]

Sounds like Sky Valet is going after the high-end market rather aggressively. Â I'm curious to see how that's going to work in a city where Ferragamo main line is considered "high end."

I think DC is starved for a store like Sky Valet -- for a place selling more high-end men's shoes. Â DC is definitely not just a place for government employees and poor Hill staffers. Â There are lots of people with money who would appreciate high-end men's shoes: -- lawyers -- lobbyists (who are probably the best dressed men in town, other than perhaps the salesmen at N-M) -- high tech execs from No. VA -- doctors (lots of hospitals in the DC area) -- corp. execs. (think AOL, Marriott, GEICO, Mars, etc.) -- not to mention the various starving students who like expensive shoes. Â

Recall that in the last three or four years, both an Alden and an Allen-Edmonds store have opened downtown. Â The Georgetown Polo store now carries a pretty broad line of the C&J RL shoes, along with a couple of RLPL/EG ones. Â Relish now carries Lobb. Â Those will help the move upmarket IMO. Â Neiman-Marcus and Saks, with Zegna Couture, Ferragamo and Gucci as their "top" offerings, are just ... pathetic. Â At least the Tysons NM carries a few Lobbs. Furthermore, note that many of the Savile Row tailors have one or two annual stops in DC. I think Cleverley (shoes) comes to DC each year too. The message -- men in DC are not averse to spending money to wear the best.

 

[friendlyone]

I saw Sky's generic commercial on Comcast over the weekend, on the Style Network. I almost fell off my chair when I saw it. I'm not sure I've ever seen a commercial for any high end DC men's clothes store. Of course, as others have pointed out, perhaps that's because there aren't really any high end stores.

But I agree with Kabert: DC is now ready. Now that so many people are living in million dollar homes, they need to start dressing like millionaires.

In any event, I agree: the commercial was professionally done. Very nice.

 

[auto90403]

naw, DC's still the land of the limp paycheck.

while greater DC is pretty rich on average, at the high end it doesn't begin to compare to NY/LA/Chi for serious money. i think the NOVA tech boom pretty much petered out.

 

[RJman]

Okay, whether your paycheck is limp or your refund huge, shall we arrange a particular time Styleforumers want to stroll by, with perhaps a post-stroll drink afterwards for those still around and willing? I vote for Saturday early afternoon. Please let me know your thoughts.

 

[kabert]

I plan to go to Sky Valet on Friday at lunchtime to check out the line-up, ask some questions of the Edward Green reps, and place my order if I have time. Friday evening is out for me as a gathering time as I'm fortunate to have gotten tickets to the Nationals game. I'll almost definitely be going back on Saturday. Not sure about timing though.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

I saw a statistic (in the context of an argument why the DC area will be able to support a baseball team today despite failing to do so two times earlier) indicating that the DC metropolitan area is one of the most affluent in the United States.  So the money's clearly there.  A bigger challenge will be to change the prevailing mindset among many DC men that "expensive shoes are for girls."  I wish Sky Valet the best, as the owners are very nice and have done very good work on the shoes I have brought them to repair.

 

[drljva]

One week until the EG trunk sale at Sky Valet.... Yesterday, I got in the mail SV's announcement. Â Adam told me the Washington Times ads will run all next week, as will the ads on cable TV (CNN, golf channel, etc.).

I never got the EG announcement in the mail... Strange, because I've received other mailings from these guys...

In any event, can someone tell me what the flyer says? Thanks.