Deusis

Hi Paul,

Thanks for doing this! I know you have a very close relationship with Horween as they supply you with a fair amount of your leather (and all of your shell cordovan). How many other tanneries does Allen Edmonds work closely with?

Speaking to this firsthand, they go to great lengths to make any issue right. I ordered a pair of boat shoes from Allen Edmonds on sale ($85) a few years ago. When I received the product, they smelled heavily like smoke. What I think happened is someone purchased them and happened to be a smoker but ended up returning them after having them out in their home.

I emailed Customer Service to ask if I could get a different pair, they let me know they unfortunately didn't have another pair in my size. Instead, they offered me any shoe up to $365 for the original price I paid.

From then on, I've been a loyal Allen Edmonds customer (currently own 5 pairs).

That is very encouraging to hear.

All too often I feel like people associate private equity investors with the degradation and eventual downward spiral of a company. It sounds like Brentwood has done the exact opposite and are firmly interested in upholding what Allen Edmonds has taken many, many years to build.

The manufacturing aspect is even more important than people realize too. Having an effectively running manufacturing facility does wonders for equipment efficiency, personnel productivity and overall profit levels.

Would you ever consider sourcing Shell Cordovan from a tannery other than Horween? Ex: Shinki Hikaku in Japan, Comipel in Italy, or Clayton in the UK?

Assuming the person doing the clicking is trained in the same fashion, there shouldn't be any difference.