Ep. 33 - Takashi Horiguchi, Super 8 Shoes, about vintage men's shoes
With this episode we are back in Japan again, back in Tokyo, where I met Takashi Horiguchi, or "Gucci" as he mostly is called, who run the acclaimed vintage classic men's shoe store Super 8 Shoes. A store that focus on American and British shoes from the 1950's to 1980's, known for the overall very good condition of the selection they offer, and quite a large amount of New Old Stock, old shoes that are unworn. The store also has a repair workshop. During the 15+ years that Gucci has worked with vintage shoes, he's been extremely dedicated in acquiring knowledge about old shoes, which he now pass on to his customers, both in his physical store and online. Much of the stock in the store comes from numerous trips to mainly the US, where he's been hunting for good vintage shoes himself. We talk about his journey with Super 8 Shoes, about how vintage footwear differ from the shoes made today, how the interest in vintage men's shoes has developed, and much more.