Brodawka and Friends store review

A few months ago, my wife came home with a beautiful pair of leather boots. And she excitedly told me where they were from: a new store on Queen Street West that sold women’s and men’s leather shoes. And that I should definitely check it out.

When my wife basically gives me permission to buy myself a pair of shoes, I do what she says. So I off I went to Brodawka and Friends.

Jeff Brodawka is the shop’s owner. He worked at John Fluevog shoes in Vancouver for a number of years, doing all sorts of jobs including designing shoes. He learned a lot about the industry, “a trial by fire” Jeff told me. But after a while, he missed his home town and returned to Toronto to open his own shop in May of 2012.

The “Friends” in the name are local designers who sell scarves, bow ties, jewellery, pocket squares and other accessories in Jeff’s elegant and cozy store. As I tried on his five or six different styles of men’s shoes, I asked him about the business.

Jeff told me sales are evenly split between men’s and women’s shoes. The women’s are all fully handmade in Mexico. Interestingly, I learned that women’s shoes don’t traditionally include a welted sole – a sole that can be replaced – but instead are cemented on. I assume this has to do with trends – women’s shoes go out of style so much faster than men’s, making the shoes last isn’t important. Most of the men’s shoes at Jeff’s store are currently made in Portugal (although that’s changing in the near future). Because of Toronto’s recent harsh winters, Jeff is experimenting with more full rubber soles on his shoes. But a big difference from most cheaper shoes, his rubber soles will be stitched on, not glued, so they can be replaced (even with leather) when they wear through.

Jeff plays a part in each shoe’s design, but they are not completely created by him. Every shoe factory, from big to small, from Mexico to Hong Kong, has its own way of making shoes. They typically use certain leather suppliers, stitching techniques and lasts, which dictate the shape of the shoe. In Jeff’s case, he has found factories – some of which he has personally visited – that produce shoes up to his quality. He then works with their in-house designs and tweaks them to suit his style. Or, he takes his own design and finds a pre-existing one that comes close, then adjusts it.

Jeff Brodawka and couch.

It’s a process that means every batch of shoes is distinct. As Jeff moves from season to season, supplier to supplier, the shoes will change. That means that while you might not find a shoe that suits you today, there might be one tomorrow. And since Jeff is always tweaking and adjusting, there’s a possibility that your feedback will find its way into his shoes.

When I visited, Jeff had three lasts to choose from: one round, one semi-pointed and one more casual. I have rather wide feet and pre-existing lasts don’t usually work for me. While this was true of a couple of Jeff’s models, there were some that fit me, very well. But that’s when style comes into play.

I loved these thin-soled brogues, pictured above, but the last was much too slender for my foot.

Whereas this two-toned wingtip, which has a rather chunky rubber sole, fit perfectly. But it wasn’t quite what I wanted for my wardrobe. Now, if you’ve read my editorial policy, I was in a bit of a dilemma. Without making a purchase, I couldn’t do a store review, regardless of how much I like Jeff’s shoes and his approach. Then I remembered my wife.

While it’s true I haven’t bought a pair of shoes in Jeff’s store – yet – my wife has, so I have something on-hand to review. The boots are gorgeous, with different types and colours of leather used throughout. They mix more traditional masculine (shape) and feminine (colour) qualities harmoniously. And my wife tells me they are extremely comfortable.

I hope one day soon to share in that experience.

Brodawka and Friends is located at 1114 Queen Street West.