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Allen Edmonds Quality

4K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  eagle2250 
#1 ·
I haven't purchased a new pair of good shoes in awhile because I changed jobs and don't need to "dress up" every day. For several years, I walked a mile or so to work every day in NYC rotating between a pair of AE Park Ave and Alden/BB seconds. Those shoes got beat up with scratches and gouges but I still wear them (although I have to take extra time to tidy up the bad spots each time).

About a year ago I bought a new pair of AE Strands from Nordstroms and they appear flawless to me. However, I just bought two pairs of new AE Park Aves on sale (from Amazon) and am wondering if the "issues" I see in them are just par for the course with AE now, something to do with Amazon shoe quality, if I'm being too picky or the shoes skipped through quality control. (I have bought several pairs of seconds or lightly used shoes, most of which looked to have fewer "issues" than these shoes that weren't marked seconds.) I took a couple pictures, which are attached. The first shows grain issues that I only have on my very worn pair of AE Park Aves, which I always assumed was because they got too dry and cracked; I wouldn't expect this in new shoes, though. The second two are scratches and scuffs that I don't think will disappear with a polish.

What does everyone think? Are these things issues you would return the shoes for or am I just being too picky? There are several other similar "issues" on the other pair as well. I do plan to take better care of these than my previous pairs now that I don't live in a large city and won't be walking through the streets as much in the shoes.
 

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#2 ·
Unfortunately, ever since AE was sold in 2016 and Paul Grangaard was replaced, their quality has slowly, but steadily been heading in the wrong direction.
I continue to purchase AE because they are still manufactured in Wisconsin. If they move overseas, I will be done with AE for good.
 
#8 ·
I bought them from Amazon/Zappos and they said they don't sell factory seconds. They offered me 50$ off each pair, which would bring them down to $180 for factory seconds. I haven't decided if I will take them up on that or send them back.
 
#9 ·
Send them back and get a refund, and then look elsewhere.

I'm a proud American but I've concluded that for the money English shoes are a better value. Your $180 will go a long way with Herring.

 
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