Great shoes are hard to find, but, at Sherman Brothers, we make it our mission to provide you with the finest quality footwear imaginable, sourcing loafers from Italy, boots from Scandinavia, and monkstraps from the drizzly shops of Soho. In 1953, Herbert and Edwin Sherman founded Sherman Brothers Inc. with a $5000 loan from their father. Since then, we have made it their mission to provide Philadelphia with pieces of podiatric perfection created by the world’s finest shoemakers. With over sixty years of experience under our belt, Sherman Brothers knows how to provide an unmatched level of customer service, which begins with sourcing the best products around. We stock footwear from over 25 vendors, one of which is the inimitable Mezlan, whose Mezlan shoes are nothing short of magnificence in leather.

Take the Lipari, for instance. A leather loafer handmade in Spain’s Castille-La Mancha region (known to the world for the fantastic misadventures of one elderly noble, Don Quixote, and his long-suffering bodyman, Sancho Panza), the Lipari is the epitome of salacious leather class. Created from the skin of lizards, a highly durable and flexible material, the Lipari is a shoe that, when properly treated, neither cracks nor creases. The Lipari is Mezlan’s update on the classic penny loafer, a shoe developed in 1936 by the G. H. Bass company. The name comes from the leather strap that runs the length of the loafer’s vamp, in which was cut a small opening the size and shape of which wads perfect for holding a penny. At the time, a phone call cost about a penny—thus the name was born. Lipari’s update includes an injected comfort insole, as well as a two-tone full leather sole, which creates beautiful contrast between the brown heel of the shoe, and its courtly red toe. The update comes in black, blue, and cognac lizard skin uppers.

Continuing with the lizard theme, the next Mezlan Shoes are the Prague Sport, a double monkstrap delight that seems to have dazzled to market straight from the Popes of Avignon. The 15th century saw the advent of these beauties, when conscientious monks, who had dedicated themselves to a life of worship and manual labor, decided that their double strap sandals didn’t provide enough protection when plowing the fields. They needed a practical, durable shoe that covered the foot, and could withstand harsh terrain. The solution: the monkstrap. The Prague Sport updates the classic monkstrap design by crafting their shoes from flexible, durable crocodile skin. The bold, geometric patterns of treated snapper skin lend a sexy finish to these formerly chaste pieces of footwear. Headquartered in Almansa, a 14th century castle town in Castille-La Mancha Spain, Mezlan knows its way around classic medieval footwear. Built at the foot of a limestone crag, Almansa is home to generations of shoemakers, who provide testimony to the town’s artisanal roots and rich history. Embracing the traditions of these shoemakers, Mezlan stands today as a specialty factory, a design house in leather, and a heritage brand rooted in its authentic surroundings. The Prague Sport comes in two colors: black and sport, which is a lightish kind of russet brown. The leather sole is custom-made and finished with brass nails.

Now, alright, let’s hit you with one more pair of Mezlan Shoes. This time one that’s not lizard skin. The Mezlan Homar is a calfskin captoe blucher shoe that looks, at least in its black iteration, like something a ringwraith would wear to a bat mitzvah. These shoes are sleek, stylish, and exceptionally black. Perhaps this impression is brought into focus by the knowledge that the blucher was created by a Prussian army officer named Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher, Furst von Walhsett, so that his men could have a better shoe by which to fight in the Napoleonic wars. They come in a handsome tan, as well. A slightly more Gatsby-ish color, suited well to the cherry-panelling of manor walls, or the inoffensive decorative schemes of many a hotel ballroom. Handmade in Spain, these shoes feature hand-burnished calfskin, an injected memory foam cushioned insole, and a combined rubber and leather sole.

To conclude, great shoes are hard to find, but at Sherman Brothers our extremely knowledgeable sales people are happy to provide insight into style, size, and fit. We often save our customers money, offering free-shipping as well as tax-free shopping. After over fifty years of selling in brick and mortar locations, Shermanbrothers.com was launched in 2002, quickly becoming a staple part of a growing e-business. Known as the “go-to” store in the Philadelphia region, we’ve earned our reputation for the highest level of customer service around. We offer the same level of service online, and promote the fact that we are happy to share our experience, whether it be by phone, email, or text.