Rare On-Site Bespoke Shoemaker Finds Home In Old Town Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Back in the old days of Old Town, a shoemaker wouldn't be an uncommon service to find. Nowaways, a new store is providing what it believes is the only bespoke shoemaker in 100 or more miles.

Old House Provisions is a new artisanal menswear store with an on-site shoemaking workshop at 315A Cameron Street. Drew Altizer, 29, is the shoemaker and owner and received training in the Florentine style with other experiences from English, Japanese, Hungarian and American shoemaking.

"Traditional bespoke shoemaking doesn’t just imply a custom fitted pair of shoes, but an artisanally crafted product, made on site by the same person that took the measurements with the same materials and methods that have been used for hundreds of years," Altizer told Patch. "It’s truly a top of the top of the line product and the epitome of quiet luxury, since artisans like myself don’t have anything close to the brand recognition that global luxury brands have."

Bespoke shoemaking refers to shoes being custom made for a person. According to Altizer, the shoemaking process starts with taking measurements, then cutting open a trial pairs of shoes to check the fit.

"The entire process takes well over 120 hours for a single pair, closer to 180 if you include the time spent on the trial shoes," Altizer shared.

Along with the bespoke shoemaking service, Old House Provisions offers a variety of menswear. Offerings range from tailored clothing, sport coats and suits to polos, T-shirts, pants, accessories and more.

Altizer says the business will rely on building long-term relationships in the community.

"Old Town was the obvious choice for location because the historic charm complements old world crafts like my own," said Altizer. "It also just has a neighborly way about it. The folks that live here still stop to talk to their neighbors. I hope to do the same with my customers – inviting them in to have coffee, sit and chat, use my table to get some work done, read one of the biographies in the store library."

Old House Provisions will have a store launch event from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 14. There will be a pop-up shop with fellow one-man shoe brand Caswell Boot Co., which is based in D.C.