A wood placard mounted behind the register at Sherman Brothers Shoes in Center City is inscribed withthe following message: “The BITTERNESS of Poor Quality Remains Long After the Sweetness of Low Price is FORGOTTEN.”
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The saying is commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin, making it a fitting aphorism for a shoe store that has served Philadelphia’s men for 73 years, outfitting them with pristine suede loafers and stitched leather boots, ranging in hues from auburn and chestnut to sienna and camel.
After seven decades in Center City, Sherman Brothers is moving from 1520 Sansom St. to the Main Line this summer. The men’s footwear retailer will take over 42 Greenfield Ave. in Ardmore, formerly home to consignment store Clothes Mentor, and will aim to open by Labor Day. The move will reestablish Sherman Brothers in the Philly suburbs, where it once had multiple storefronts, and will mark a new chapter for the storied family business.
Sherman Brothers was founded in 1953 by brothers Herbert and Edwin Sherman. The two purchased a small shoe store on Mole Street in Center City from their Uncle Lou, using a $5,000 loan from their father. Herbert and Edwin would take long road trips up to New England to visit shoe factories, stocking up with closeout and clearance shoes from brands like E.T. Wright, Bates, and Alden. Because they were buying clearance shoes, they often returned to Philadelphia with extra small and large sizes, making Sherman Brothers a favorite store for men with hard-to-fit feet.
In 1967, the brothers moved to the Sansom Street location. By then, the store had become a destination for mayors and council members, athletes and entertainers, turning to standing room only during its busiest hours. At one point, Sherman Brothers had three suburban outposts in addition to the Sansom Street store, all of which eventually closed. Now, the shoe store does more than half of its business online, shipping to buyers everywhere from Mississippi to Nebraska.
Ken Sherman, 66, Herbert’s son, has “been doing this all my life.”
Ken, along with his cousin Jeffrey, make up the second generation of Sherman Brothers ownership. Ken worked in the shoe store in high school, then after class as a student at Temple University. He’s always loved key components of the business: schmoozing with customers, visiting factories, learning the art of bending leather into footwear. He says he can size up a person’s foot just by looking at a picture.
“This business is a passion of mine,” Ken said, sitting in the store on a Tuesday morning.
As he moved through the store, Ken helped a patron pick out a pair of wedding shoes and pointed out a favorite shoe brand of Gov. Josh Shapiro, who’s known for pairing suits with upscale sneakers.
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“I love the customers,” he said. “I love what we do. I love just engaging in conversation.”
The reasons for moving Sherman Brothers to Ardmore are manifold, said Ken.
The block of Sansom Street where the store is located has become a restaurant hub — Sherman Brothers is flanked by 1518 Bar & Grill, Mission Taqueria, Oscar’s Tavern, and Bagels & Co., among other bars and eateries. The shoe store is one of the last retailers on the block. For years, Ken said, stakeholders made offers to bring something new into the Sherman Brothers space. Ultimately, a restaurant made an offer that the Shermans decided to take (the Shermans own the buildings at 1518 and 1520 Sansom Street and lease space to multiple tenants). Ken declined to share any details about the new restaurant, which will be called Silver Shaker.
Another reason to leave Center City: Parking. For years, Sherman Brothers employees and patrons have complained of parking tickets and thehigh prices oflots. The Ardmore store will have ample free parking.
Ken said he’ll miss the city — the Sansom Street storefront holds memories of celebrity patrons, family milestones, and now-funny mishaps. He hopes his Philadelphia customers will make the trek out to Ardmore to visit with him. But he’s ready to bring Sherman Brothers back to the Main Line.
“We’re still Sherman Brothers. Our legacy is what it is, and I’m proud of that, proud of what we’ve done for the city,” Ken said.
“We’re gonna do exactly what we do, just in a different location.”
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