So here's the story: Alex was married in a pair of leather sandals on the coast of Oaxaca in 2019. He found them in the market in Puerto Escondido, at a stall surrounded by flowers. Afterwards, he wore them all the time - they molded to his foot, tanned in the sun and just got better with every wear. And last summer he set out to find the shoemaker.
It wasn’t easy. Many WhatsApps later, he connected with Valerio Jarquín, one of 5 brothers who run Huarachería Don Chavelo, a family-run shoe shop in the foothills of the Oaxacan mountains. Founded 60 years ago by their grandfather, the shop was originally called “Nunca Te Veré Descalzo” (literally: “I Will Never See You Barefoot”).
They recently renamed it in honor of their father, who passed away from Covid-19. Now each brother is responsible for a different part of the process, from leather cutting, to sole preparation (made from used tires), to sewing, to transport. The Jarquín brothers dream of building their business and sharing their craft with the world.
We are donating 100% of profits to Huarachería Don Chavelo so the brothers can buy new machines and increase capacity. We hope the investment will help the business grow and reach new markets.
