Ah, Shoe Zone. Aka the Twilight Zone. Not because it's full of pale kids with greasy hair and an unnatural lust for vampires, no, because I find it to be one of the most confusing shoe stores I've encountered since Deichmanns.
I set foot into Shoe Zone just once, simply because I was desperately seeking shoes to match the wedding outfit I had for New Year and I was getting to the point where I literally had to jump into every shoe outlet in Manchester. Otherwise, there had been nothing to entice me into Shoe Zone. No intriguing display, no pretty colours... it's like the Army and Navy store version of a shoe shop, militant, bare, minimalist and seemingly laid out by a person with OCD. Indeed, what you will find is very neatly stacked and colour coordinated shoes. You just won't find interesting shoes.
It's a great option for people seeking simplicity. You've got brogues, wellies, loafers, something for the kids... but party shoes and ballet pumps, platforms and strappy sandals are noticeably absent. You know when Jen refers to the outdoor smoking area in The IT Crowd as 'Soviet'? That's kind of how Shoe Zone feels. Fine for the basics, cheap as you like, but a little too military for my tastes. read more