Buyers Kick Up Their Heels at These Shoes
When certain manufacturers make a mistake on a pair of shoes--like a crooked heel placement or a scratch on the toe--they often ship the damaged goods to Dave’s Shoe Outlet, where they are repaired and offered to the public at astonishingly low prices.
Word of mouth on the deals at this store has spread far and wide, and kept this bargain source in business for more than 30 years. Businessmen from as far as New Jersey come several times a year to replenish their shoe wardrobe, and bargain shoppers from the San Fernando Valley to Orange County are among the regulars.
It’s the quality of the shoes, with names like Johnson & Murphy, Bruno Magli, Cable & Co., Florsheim and Mephisto at prices way below half of the retail that keep the bargain hunters coming. Whereas the bulk of the inventory is made up of damaged (and repaired) shoes, about one-third of the merchandise is first-quality leftovers from wholesalers.
We found several pairs of perfect Mephistos that retail at $385 selling for $100 at Dave’s; some $250 Bally loafers were $75; and Bruno Magli loafers that retailed for $465 were $100. Other manufacturers represented were San Remo, Jonathan Richards and Emilio Franco.
In the women’s section, high-end names like Andrew Geller, Delman and Mary McFadden were on the shelves and priced at $29, a fraction of their original retail prices. You’ll notice some shoes that are displayed singly; these are the latest arrivals and although they are more than $29, you will still find the sticker at about 50% to 60% lower than retail.
Sizes for men run from 7 to 15 in medium widths and for women 5 to 10, also in medium widths. As should be expected in an operation such as this, there is not every size in each style.
This mom-and-pop operation features owner Dave Sales back in the stockroom tending to the repairs while wife Dolores helps the customers and handles the cash register.
Dave’s Shoe Outlet, 2800 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 737- 7614. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Weekend Supersale: Prices at The China Shop (formerly The Almost Perfect English Shop) are always at sale levels, but now some of the deals on fine china and pottery are even better than usual. Names like Portmeirion, Spode, Royal Worchestshire, Beleek and Wilton are 40%-60% off retail, and this weekend a Sidewalk Sale features specials like Italian pottery buckets, cake plates and platters reduced by 60%.
The China Shop, 14519 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. (818) 905-6650. Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday noon to 4 p.m.
