I have known for a long time that the owner of this coffee shop featuring shoeshine. I had the oppoturnity to have conversation with Don in Nanjing and at the China Trunk Show in 2021. Even the runner-up in the shoeshine competition is a shoeshine professional in this store.
Until last month, I was lucky enough to come to this unique shoeshine coffee shop in Shanghai, China.
As soon as I entered the door, I saw a very bright bar, although I’m not sure whether this bar in the coffee shop should be called a bar as maybe this word is better saved for pub.
Although coffee is not the purpose of my visit, that pour over Americano is really refreshing.
I swept my vision to the right, a shoe-shining table, which is also the reception desk.
Go in on the right, there are more seats, and I didn’t go in but came to the shoeshines table directly.
There is a very beautiful service introduction and pricelist on the bar, and the texture is so good.
The icon on the light board is simple, while people who have polished their shoes feel very kind.
Below is the price of each service.
On the opposite side of this wall is a display stand.
The brand and content of this booth are mobile. I think this form is very good, which can keep the freshness of customers and allow more brands to display. Riffloop is a designer women’s shoe brand.
Take this pair of horse hair, layered with thick soles, is really fashionable.
On the right-hand wall of the booth, there are full of leather care products, mainly Saphir, Bootblack and Mowbray.
Next to the bar, there is a cart with two main products with wonderful prices.
One is a wooden shoe support with iron brand, 68 RMB is definitely a very good price!
The other is the shoeshine cloth developed by GentleMaker, which is much cheaper than Bootblack’s, but it is easier to clean the mirror and has more quantity.
There is a pair of polished shoes waiting for the guests to pick them up in the compartment below. The mirror shine quality is really awesome.
I went there during working hours on weekdays, and there were many guests in the shop, mostly ladies. It is said that this place has become a stronghold for Shanghai classic menswear enthusiasts, and they like to meet here. Although all my attention is on the care of shoes, as a coffee shop, the decoration and taste of GentleMaker are definitely worth visiting frequently.