Dave Prepares to say Sayonara!

A street shot of Osaka, where Dave will be heading in March

Several months ago Dave was one of five young New York professionals chosen to take part in a Group Study Exchange hosted by Rotary International. He has been attending meetings and attempting to learn basic language skills in preparation for a four week trip to Japan. While in Japan, Dave will stay with a Japanese host family and will be meeting with many people working in the shoe industry there. In addition to these vocational visits, he'll also participate in social events, cultural and site tours and will be expected to participate in several group presentations, sharing Central New York culture with Japanese Rotarians.

Dave departs on March 27th, but one of his colleagues has already started a blog to share her thoughts on the journey. You'll see it linked on our sidebar from now until the trip has concluded and we encourage you to take a peek and see what Dave and his colleagues are up to. Of course, Dave will also send us his own updates from time to time and we'll be sure to share those as they come in.

As many of you know, our shoes have been quite popular in Japan for some time now. We can't wait to see if Dave spots any Aurora Shoes on the streets and we are definitely expecting a photo of his feet in Auroras on the other side of the world!

Where Have Your Aurora Shoes Taken YOU?

Cupertino, California

We received this photo from Linda in Palo Alto, California and couldn't wait to share it. She writes, "Since I got my new shoes I've worn them daily! I've decided to buy only one more pair in black and they will be officially the only shoes I wear".

This picture of Linda's feet was taken while hiking at the Stevens Creek Reservoir in Cupertino, California. Don't you just want to be lounging in that sunlight too? In Aurora we're surrounded by gray skies and snow, so this already beautiful picture looks especially wonderful. Thank you, Linda, for sharing your gorgeous photograph.

Where have YOUR Aurora Shoes taken YOU?

Meet Jesse

Jesse has been with Aurora Shoe for more than a decade.  In that time he has become the resident expert at turning pieces of wrinkly leather into perfectly formed shoes that hold a shape and invite your feet to enter.  This process, called "wet forming" is one of the most unique steps in our shoes' production.  While most shoe makers form their shoes on a last, Jesse shapes ours by hand, leaving enough stretch for your feet to complete the final fitting. 

After dipping each shoe into a warm water bath, Jesse uses a 5 pound shaping tool and smooths the leather, pushing the uppers and heel cups into place. After the shoes are shaped they are sent to the drying rack where they await straps, buckles and a final trimming.  Many of our shoes will never see this shaping tool again, but if you're lucky enough to be fitted in our shop, you just might see us using it to stretch the leather a bit further, making for a more comfortable fit at the start.

It makes a difference, huh?

Jesse hasn't always been a shoe craftsman.  Before joining the Aurora Shoe team, Jesse spent most of his adult years working on a small local dairy farm.  He's been known to say that while he enjoyed farming very much, it is nice to be working inside, and out of the elements.  It's pretty cold here in upstate NY (we were in single digits over the weekend) so we can't say that we blame him!

Many people also know Jesse as one of the moral pillars of our community.  He spent several years volunteering his time as a Sunday school teacher and is one of the kindest, most honest and hard-working men you could ever meet.    We feel honored to know and work with Jesse and hope that you enjoyed "meeting" him as well. 

Check back to meet more of the personalities behind our shoes!