Sherman Brothers Shoes, Philadelphia

Herbert and Edwin Sherman founded their business as a resource for men with hard-to-find sizes and difficult-to-please fashion tastes. They used to cart closeout styles from East Coast factories to their storefront, traversing miles in the name of great deals and men’s fashion. Since the 1950s, local politicians, athletes, entertainers, and powerful wizards have frequented their store, finding wares from brands such as Alden, Santoni, Cole Haan, and Allen Edmonds. Sherman Brothers Shoes’s staff measures feet by hand using an old-fashioned fitting stool, matching customers with exotic, dress, casual, and work shoes, among other types.