GoneBabyGone
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On the occasion of my recent birthday, my wife and I planned to visit Porto Portugal. Just south of Porto is an important shoe production area of Portugal, with several manufacturers having headquarters there.
Over the past several years, I have purchased two pairs of beautiful shoes directly from the website of CARLOS SANTOS SHOES: a single monkstrap that combined leather and suede and a Jodphur boot in a reddish brown. Both shoes have elicited compliments from friends, family, and strangers when I have worn them.
So when I knew that our travels would take us to Porto, I emailed Ana Santos, the international marketing manager and I asked to visit the factory, get a short tour, and perhaps purchase a new pair or two. Ana graciously agreed to my visit and we set a date and time the day before my birthday.
I am quite tall (6’6”) and I wear a size 13 US shoe. Purchasing affordable, well-made, and stylish shoes was always important to me. I also would rather have two pairs of such shoes than have one pair of shoes that cost $700-$800 or more. I now have over 50 pairs of shoes in my closet and such a collection makes me very happy.
On the day of the visit, we took an Uber from central Porto to the factory in São João da Madeira, needing a final bit of help from nearby pedestrians. Arriving about 30 minutes late, we were shown to the factory showroom, where there must have been over 100 different styles and colors of shoes on display. I must have felt like one of Pavlov’s dogs because I surely started to salivate!
Ana joined us a few minutes later with a big hello, a warm smile, and the obligatory cheek kisses. After remining her of my size 13 feet, she had an assistant go find some shoes in that size for me. “Only to check the fit and not the style,” she said, when the assistant arrived with a dozen boxes. Checking the fit on bended knee and feeling the fit of several different models that I had tried on, she announced that my feet were not size 13 but smaller.
About this time, her brother Armando Santos joined us. A well-dressed stylish man himself, Armando bent down and also checked my feet and he concurred with Ana: “13 is too big.”
The assistant was instructed to go fetch a set of boxes in 12 ½ and he returned in a few minutes with another dozen boxes. Same as before. I tried on almost all of the second batch of shoes and both Ana and Armando checked the fit. The fit was demonstrably better to them (and me), but to be certain the assistant was dispatched to go get a bunch of shoes in size 12.
When he returned, Carlos Santos himself joined us. Carlos speaks excellent English and was a true gentleman to me as we did the try-ons again. Carlos even got on one knee to check the fit and he announced that my feet were “elegant.” I swooned while my wife was laughing at this spectacle.
To top things off, Armando suggested that we trace my feet on paper to verify the size measurements. As predicted, they verified the size of 12 ½ for several of their models, but also suggested that I wear size 12 for their sneakers/trainers.
All five of us discussed which models I would like to purchase, with suggestions on models and colors from all the family. I was clearly treated as a very special customer and am so grateful for their time (about 3 hours) and attention.
They suggested that I go home and think about their suggestions and compare that with other shoes that are part of my collection.
We were getting close to closing time and Armando suggested the factory floor tour. I had no idea that the steps to complete just one pair of shoes requires over 200 different stops at different machines. While I don’t know what are the usual number of steps is, I am convinced that so many steps is a dramatic and powerful indication of the quality standards that are built into every pair of CARLOS SANTOS shoes.
After my return to the USA, I have finally settled on three pairs and I am ready to order them from the factory directly from Ana.
To all of you reading this, if you are looking for very well made, attractively priced shoes that are made with love and steeped in high quality, I invite you to seek Carlos Santos shoes – either in a store near you or by purchasing directly from Ana at their website (www.santosshoes.com).
Making this visit, to be treated so well, and now having three pairs of gorgeous shoes to add to my stuffed closet was truly the highlight of my trip to Portugal. I would like to extend a very heartfelt “Thank you” to a superior family, their staff, and factory workers who treated me with respect, affection, and much attention.
Over the past several years, I have purchased two pairs of beautiful shoes directly from the website of CARLOS SANTOS SHOES: a single monkstrap that combined leather and suede and a Jodphur boot in a reddish brown. Both shoes have elicited compliments from friends, family, and strangers when I have worn them.
So when I knew that our travels would take us to Porto, I emailed Ana Santos, the international marketing manager and I asked to visit the factory, get a short tour, and perhaps purchase a new pair or two. Ana graciously agreed to my visit and we set a date and time the day before my birthday.
I am quite tall (6’6”) and I wear a size 13 US shoe. Purchasing affordable, well-made, and stylish shoes was always important to me. I also would rather have two pairs of such shoes than have one pair of shoes that cost $700-$800 or more. I now have over 50 pairs of shoes in my closet and such a collection makes me very happy.
On the day of the visit, we took an Uber from central Porto to the factory in São João da Madeira, needing a final bit of help from nearby pedestrians. Arriving about 30 minutes late, we were shown to the factory showroom, where there must have been over 100 different styles and colors of shoes on display. I must have felt like one of Pavlov’s dogs because I surely started to salivate!
About this time, her brother Armando Santos joined us. A well-dressed stylish man himself, Armando bent down and also checked my feet and he concurred with Ana: “13 is too big.”
The assistant was instructed to go fetch a set of boxes in 12 ½ and he returned in a few minutes with another dozen boxes. Same as before. I tried on almost all of the second batch of shoes and both Ana and Armando checked the fit. The fit was demonstrably better to them (and me), but to be certain the assistant was dispatched to go get a bunch of shoes in size 12.
When he returned, Carlos Santos himself joined us. Carlos speaks excellent English and was a true gentleman to me as we did the try-ons again. Carlos even got on one knee to check the fit and he announced that my feet were “elegant.” I swooned while my wife was laughing at this spectacle.
All five of us discussed which models I would like to purchase, with suggestions on models and colors from all the family. I was clearly treated as a very special customer and am so grateful for their time (about 3 hours) and attention.
They suggested that I go home and think about their suggestions and compare that with other shoes that are part of my collection.
After my return to the USA, I have finally settled on three pairs and I am ready to order them from the factory directly from Ana.
To all of you reading this, if you are looking for very well made, attractively priced shoes that are made with love and steeped in high quality, I invite you to seek Carlos Santos shoes – either in a store near you or by purchasing directly from Ana at their website (www.santosshoes.com).
Making this visit, to be treated so well, and now having three pairs of gorgeous shoes to add to my stuffed closet was truly the highlight of my trip to Portugal. I would like to extend a very heartfelt “Thank you” to a superior family, their staff, and factory workers who treated me with respect, affection, and much attention.
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