$8 Thrift Store Shoes...A Freaking Steal...Except For One Thing

We only had a few minutes to look for stuff at the thrift store. My wife and son went to the stuff animal section to find new chew toys for the dog.

I went to check out the shoes.

I used to first go check out electronics, but there's so much garbage there nowadays (some would argue it's not just the electronics...), it no longer holds my interest. Last year, I found a used pair of Vans, my size--no laces. I bought the pair and wore them all the time--so much so, I wore a hole in one shoe. Time to look for another pair of slip-ons to replace the Vans.

I looked. I spotted a pair. I picked them up, saw the maker--Ecco--good brand. I tried them on and they fit.

Score!

The thing about thrift store shopping is sometimes you find hidden gold--sometimes you don't of course, but I've done pretty good over the years. I know some Ecco shoes can be quite expensive so when we got home, I did a little internet search.

I typed in: Ecco weave shoes. Then I chose the photos.

And there they were--the same pair of Ecco shoes I had just bought. The first thing that caught my eye--the $160 price a new pair of my shoes would cost.

Score again!

I love it when that happens.

Then, I saw something else in the photo...yes, the Ecco shoes are $160 new, but if I went into a Nordstroms looking for a nice pair of Ecco shoes, I'm pretty sure I would not see this pair. I'd be nowhere near this pair. The reason:

They're women's shoes.

That's right...I found, bought, and reveled in a pair of Ecco women's shoes. Of course, I had a decision to make. Would I re-donate them to the same thrift store from where I bought them, so someone else--most likely, a woman--would buy them, or would I keep them and wear them with pride, knowing I scored on an expensive pair of shoes.

I chose the latter.

I'm keeping the shoes.

Heartbroken...Over Two Lost Soles

Today I looked down while I was talking to a co-worker at work and I saw a line in the side of my shoe. "What's this?" I asked and I took a closer look. It was the first time I saw a crack--no, not just a crack, a complete division--of the sole of my shoe. I checked out the other shoe and sure enough, that one was split open as well.

"Oh, man..." It was all I could think to say.

I know these Dr. Martens aren't the nicest things to look at. They're worker shoes. It must have been at least ten years ago I was shopping at our local thrift store and I spotted not one, but two pairs of Dr. Martens, one pair black, the other brown. I'm thinking someone owned both pairs and I bought them. I've loved them ever since.

They've been very, very good shoes for me.

So much so, I've worn the black pair almost everyday at work for at least a decade. The great thing about them is I can wear them in the summer, and I can wear them if it's raining or snowing. I never had to worry about them.

After I saw the damage, I tried thinking about when the splits happened. It might have been the sub-zero cold we had last week. Or, it could have been the fact that I wore them every work day for years. Whatever the reason, I'm pretty sure they're history. I don't think they're repairable. I do have my trusty brown shoes, but almost everything I wear goes with black shoes (hence, me wearing them daily...).

I have other dress shoes--I've even blogged about them. Most, like the Dr. Martens, came from thrift stores. I was hoping I could wear those shoes until I retire. I've got about a decade left, at least. Looks like my shoes retired first.