Category Archives: Shoe Shops

“Easiephit” shoe shops closed decades ago, but traces of the house style can still be spotted. The inverted commas were an integral part of the name displayed on shops between the wars. The “Easiephit” brand of footwear was manufactured and … Continue reading →

In its early years, the key to successful multiple retailing was selling goods for cash, not credit. Bearing this in mind it is not surprising to find, in the 1870s and 1880s, that several different companies opened chains of boot and … Continue reading →

Frisby’s was one of the earliest chains of boot and shoe shops to develop in England. The founder, Joseph Frisby (1848-1902), was the son of an agricultural worker from Frisby on the Wreake in Leicestershire. In 1871 he married Harriett Rowley, … Continue reading →

Moses Philip Manfield (1819-99; better known as Sir Philip Manfield MP), was born in Bristol, the son of a shoemaker. He began his working life as a boot closer, stitching uppers to soles. In 1843 he arrived in Northampton, the heart of … Continue reading →

The boot and shoe manufacturer J. Sears & Co. (True-Form Boot Co.) Ltd. was founded in Northampton in 1891 by John George Sears (1870-1916), who was soon joined in business by his younger brother William Thomas Sears (1876-1950). The Sears … Continue reading →

Some of the most adventurous and exciting shoe shops of the 20th century – and especially of the 1950s – belonged to Dolcis. Once ubiquitous but ultimately ephemeral, scant trace of these can be found on the present-day high street. … Continue reading →

The Public Benefit Boot & Shoe Co The Public Benefit Boot & Shoe Co – what a name! It makes an overt claim to altruistic philanthropy, something that was often little more than a cynical advertising ploy for Victorian businessmen. … Continue reading →

Introduction Boot and shoe dealers were amongst the first chains of shops to emerge in the mid-to-late 19th century. Many sprang up when footwear manufacturers decided to eliminate the middleman and sell their products direct to customers through their own … Continue reading →