Comments (0) Best Shoe Store - 2012
Andre No. 1 Shoe Design
Family legend has it that Frank Sinatra walked into the Kazanchyans' original shoe repair shop wearing a torn pair of kicks. Grandpa declared the shoes beyond repair — but announced that he could make another pair, molded perfectly to the shape of Sinatra's foot. Ol' Blue Eyes was so happy with the results that he sent all his friends there, and the family has been making custom shoes for the Who's Who of Hollywood at Andre No. 1 Shoe Design ever since — not to mention most Las Vegas shows, countless Broadway plays and clients from around the world, who fly in just to have their feet traced. If you need inspiration to conjure up an original design, peruse Andre No. 1's showroom of jackets, belts and shoes that look more like exotic animals and art pieces than footwear. Fantasy shoes will run you upward of $2,000, but it's a small price to pay for a pair of stompers with your personal flair made by an artisan who likely learned to craft shoes right around the time he learned how to walk. 7914 W Sunset Blvd., W. Hlywd. (323) 876-5565, andre1shoes.com.
—Lorinda Toledo
