Ode to: Dardano’s Shoes
I have a question for you. It’s not an easy question and I want you to take your time and really think about it before you answer. Here it is: what is your favorite store on Colorado Boulevard? No, don’t rush it. Give it some thought, because there are a lot of really great options. For example: Nordstrom Rack. Good choice, right? Or, what about Cost Plus World Market? Who wants some British or Japanese candies? Tempting! Even more tempting: Total Wine & Spirits. C’mon, be honest. When were you there last? Yesterday?
Now, I readily concede that CB does not offer a retail experience like, say, South Broadway with its cute boutiques and walkability. No. We are looking at a completely different reality - one where walking may actually get you run over and certainly will not increase your health due to constant motor fumes. That being said, there are many stores on CB that you can’t find anywhere else. (Okay, fine, there are also many stores that you can find in lots of other places, but that’s not the point of this particular post!) One such unique gem is Dardanos Shoes. I can’t say with absolute certainty that this is my personal favorite store on Colorado Boulevard, but it is definitely top three. Top five. No, top three. Argh it’s hard to choose just one! Or three!
My fellow long-time Denverites will remember when Dardanos wasn’t even a brick and mortar store—it was in some sort of shed in the parking lot (right in front of the ‘Round the Corner restaurant where the table phone would ring when your order was ready to be picked up—remember that place?) and I think they strictly did shoe repair and no sales. I’m not even sure you could go inside, you may have just dropped off your shoes at a window? I don’t remember but regardless, oh, how times have changed. You can definitely still get your shoes repaired there — they recently re-soled my favorite work shoes both competently and affordably — but they also have a huge selection of very lovely new shoes you will want to buy. In fact, even if you were not planning on it, you may find yourself parting with a not-insignificant amount of money after finding some sort of leather shoe that you not only want, but need.
Dardanos is, in my opinion (which is the only opinion that matters in this blog) the best of all retail experiences. They offer both an important service—shoe repair— that they perform very well, very quickly and very affordably, AND a top notch sales experience. I mean it, their people know what they are talking about and their shoes are really good. I want them all. I, ahem, HEART them all. To be clear, there is definitely a more crunchy point of view which may not appeal to my high-heel-wearing, more snazzy sisters. Dardanos is heavy on brands like Birkenstocks, Sorrels, Danskos, and other beautiful clog-like, thick-heeled shoes. But if that is your jam, then it’s shoe nirvana. I once had the very bright idea to go there to snag some new Sorrels in late February or similar, reasoning that I could benefit from end-of-season sales (since, let’s face it, Dardanos is many things but extremely cheap is not one of them), and soon found out that every other person in Denver also had the same idea and Dardanos was picked clean. Then I realized it wasn’t because it was late-season, it was because Dardanos routinely gets picked clean. Denver is picking up what Dardanos is putting down.
In addition to all the compelling reasons laid out above, Dardanos may be one of my favorite CB stores for one very simple reason. I love Frye boots and shoes and Dardanos carries a wide selection of Fryes. Mmm, Fryes. They are well made and good looking and last forever. They are beautiful and lovely and smell of rich mahogany. But because Fryes are not the type of brand offered on a BOGO sale, I go to Dardanos both to be practical and get my shoes repaired and also to ogle the Fryes and occasionally, very occasionally, make a purchase. Does it get better?
Welp, when I have covered sheds, Round the Corner, and Frye boots in one post, I know its time to wrap it up. Tell me your favorite store in the comments! And yes, it has to be on Colorado Boulevard!
CB 4-eva!