Remember when?

[Jon O.]

Don't see these guys too much anymore compared to what I remember on the streets of San Francisco in the '70s. Yet it seems there is one left.
Shoeshiner by Day, Sleeping on SF Streets by Night

Shoes have been changed into a throw away item since then, that is why. They changed from "Top grain" leather to "genuine leather." A lot of people don't know that genuine leather is a massive marketing scam. They aren't trying to tell you that it is real leather, it is the clever marketing name for the lowest grade of leather that you can get. Falls apart faster than an ice cream sandwich in the desert.

 

[Fury440]

My grandfather and for the most part my father, both wore shoes made from horse hide. They came in two colors, ox-blood brown and jet black. They were polished every morning before leaving the house and touched up later in the day at a shoe shine stand. The soles and heels were also leather and as they wore, the shoe maker would rebuild them. These shoe lasted virtually a lifetime. Today not so much.

 

[MarPar]

 

[MarPar]

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

View attachment 224300

$31.95?????? That ad iz older then your are, lol

 

[MarPar]

$31.95?????? That ad iz older then your are, lol

and uz right!

 

[Fury440]

I bought a similar shoe in 1967 for the, at the time, ridiculous price of $35. I've seen the modern shoe priced at $450 and when compared to the old they are crap.

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

Just bustin' your chopz, Pal. When I started buyin' my own close way back when, A Pair on Levi'z waz $5.00 and a new pair of engineer boot'z waz $9.00 and Dealerz were selling new Fairlane's for $1995- $2195 too. In '64 I bought my wife a '64 1/2 'Stang W/260 automatic for her college graduation present too. Selling price waz $2725 out the door. I ordered it on the 22nd of April '64, 5 dayz after the grand showing. She graduated the 15th of June and the dam car didn't show up 'til the 8th of July. How timez have changed aye? Jer

 

[Fury440]

Those were the days! In 1966 I rented a ground floor apartment, one bedroom, living room, kitchen, 3 piece bathroom and access to a basement area where I had a full workshop. Parking for my car an a place to run my dog. It was perfect and only $75/mth. I lived there for 5 years.

 

[Fratzog]

 

[Fury440]

View attachment 224454

In the late 40's and 50's kids could buy from the Ice Cream Man, go to Saturday picture shows and even buy pop corn. All these purchases were made with gopher tails. As kids we hunted with snares, spears and sling shots. We all carried a mall pocket knife and reserved a back pocket for our trophy tails. Man that was fun.

 

[tbm3fan]

Shoes have been changed into a throw away item since then, that is why. They changed from "Top grain" leather to "genuine leather." A lot of people don't know that genuine leather is a massive marketing scam. They aren't trying to tell you that it is real leather, it is the clever marketing name for the lowest grade of leather that you can get. Falls apart faster than an ice cream sandwich in the desert.

I have two pairs of Bostonians that I bought from Nordstrom back in 1986. Still use them. Soles replaced a couple of times but the uppers are fine even at 32 years old.

 

[Jon O.]

I have two pairs of Bostonians that I bought from Nordstrom back in 1986. Still use them. Soles replaced a couple of times but the uppers are fine even at 32 years old.

There are some pictures of me as a baby in my dad's lap, he still wears the shoes that are in the picture. Doesn't matter how much you spend, you just can't find good shoes anymore.

 

[stubs300]

Yeah, I remember!

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

Yeah, I remember!
View attachment 224964

And I still can and I got my Honorable in July of '58.

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

The '80s? We did that in the '60s when the Stingray came out. More so we rode these without any protection. Rode some of these in the San Fernando Valley 1966-67. After moving to San Diego in 1968 never really saw them much more.

View attachment 223696

Had this...

With this...

Thought I was driving this...

Then onward to two wheels!

That's a spitting image of what I had, bought it all in parts mail order from California with paper route money to fool mom.

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

A lot of people don't know that genuine leather is a massive marketing scam. They aren't trying to tell you that it is real leather, it is the clever marketing name for the lowest grade of leather that you can get. Falls apart faster than an ice cream sandwich in the desert.

Bonded leather - Wikipedia

I love going out to the Flea Market and getting the China man selling wallets all fired up over his genuine leather wallets. "That's not real leather!", get him to a boil every time.

I notice now that all the office chairs at Office Depot & Staples have 'Bonded Leather' in the ad descriptions now. F'in junk.

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

I bought a similar shoe in 1967 for the, at the time, ridiculous price of $35. I've seen the modern shoe priced at $450 and when compared to the old they are crap.

Gotta love war surplus! Berry Compliant too!

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

Gotta love war surplus! Berry Compliant too!

View attachment 224975

Ad it iz possible to spit shine those from the toe all the way up the pipes. Ask me how I know, lol

 

[DocMcNeedy]

you can't write this stuff...post-season baseball has always been exciting to watch for me.