I can't love this store more. It's impossible. First of all, the staff are super knowledgable, fun, kind and PATIENT. It takes some time to fit weird feet into Birkenstocks, my friends--I have weird feet and they have never felt more seen and celebrated than they did at Journeys. This is saying something because I have been to a number of specialty shoe shops be they orthopedic or fashion-forward, where staff are not just undereducated about product but focused on hustling product commission.
Did you know that in a Birkenstock, a 38 narrow footbed can fit like a 37 regular footbed? It's true.
Think about that.
(Women understand this math mystery because we wear brassieres and similar magic is at play re sizing and girlfriends, if you did not know this, please Google and welcome to the promised land.)
Did you know that a Birkenstock "soft" footbed fit-feels differently than their standard footbed fit-feels?
Makes sense right? Something squishy fits differently than something structured, EVEN IN THE SAME SIZE. What I'm getting at here is that the staff at Journeys are basically benevolent scientists when it comes to sharing myriad details of fit and utility.
I worked with Lauryn, who is kind and knowledgeable. When I apologized for being a mental nightmare to fit she replied, "You're fine. I love helping people." Folks, omg!!! Maybe just go to journeys to experience next-level understanding and can-do vibes.
Both Lauryn and her colleague Brooklyn helped me come home to myself, in color and style, as young, fashionable women of a certain age are super good at doing. They were well aware that my lifestyle includes subways and sidewalks and walking everywhere AND they understood the importance of being cute whilst living life. I tried on eight pairs of shoes in different colors, materials and sizes. During my final moment of hesitation over the shoe I wanted, I shared that everyone in NYC has been wearing the white Arizona for at least three years.
They intoned: YOU DO YOU.
So I did.
I walked out of Journeys with the white Birki-Flor Arizona and I am thrilled.
ps: Journeys has a brilliant returns policy which is frankly phenomenal: if your shoes aren't working for your feet and they show reasonable wear, one has 365 days to return the product. read more