I have all the stuff to polish my own shoes, and have done so before. I take great care of my J&M's because I want them to last me a long time.

But I have a pretty big presentation coming up, and I want my shoes to be flawless. Where should I go to get this done? I can't find any information online. It just wants me to buy my own stuff, which I already have enough of.

There used to be lots of them. These days: 1) Find a shoe repair shop. 2) Many upscale hotels and major airports still have shoe shine stands. 3) Some big western wear stores have full-time shine stands, usually (in my limited experience) staffed by young, attractive, large-breasted cowgirls wearing low-cut tops.

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 07-09-2012).]

Scuffs on the 16th Street Mall.
http://denverbytheslice.com/?p=1125

[This message has been edited by Formula88 (edited 07-09-2012).]

Sorry, no "Professionals" exist anymore, like the Dodo bird, they are all but extinct.

However, we (Military members) come close to being pros at shining shoes, but even our skills are sliding, thanks to "corframs" (shineless dress shoes) and the "desert" swede boot, we dont have to shine any shoes anymore.

Kiwi is about bankrupt as a result.

Go to about any large airport. I've seen them in most I've been to.

quote Originally posted by htexans1: Sorry, no "Professionals" exist anymore, like the Dodo bird, they are all but extinct. However, we (Military members) come close to being pros at shining shoes, but even our skills are sliding, thanks to "corframs" (shineless dress shoes) and the "desert" swede boot, we dont have to shine any shoes anymore. Kiwi is about bankrupt as a result.

Aint that the truth...

I got out 6 months before they started issuing ACU's with the suede boots...

There were shoe shine stands in several Phoenix car washes and some barber shops.

It's more difficult to find a barber who will shave.

[This message has been edited by spark1 (edited 07-09-2012).]

glo-coat...

quote Originally posted by Formula88: Scuffs on the 16th Street Mall. http://denverbytheslice.com/?p=1125

Wow... I work literally a street over.. and pass this on the way to work, apparently. I've never noticed anything.

Thanks, all. I knew about stands in airports--I see those all the time--but I am a good drive away from DIA. And Marvin... you devil. You may make me drive to the nearents western store instead of just dropping them off on the way to work

quote Originally posted by theBDub: Marvin... You may make me drive to the nearents western store instead of just dropping them off on the way to work

That's OK. Don't take my word for it. I understand that you have to go and see for yourself. The show is sometimes especially nice when there's a rodeo in town.

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 07-09-2012).]

There is one where i work, and at a couple of the larger hotels here downtown.

Oh, and a shoe repair shop a couple of blocks over too.

[This message has been edited by User00013170 (edited 07-09-2012).]

quote Originally posted by Marvin McInnis: That's OK. Don't take my word for it. I understand that you have to go and see for yourself. The show is sometimes especially nice when there's a rodeo in town.

You know, I could do with a shoe shine...

quote Originally posted by Formula88: You know, I could do with a shoe shine...

I don't think I own a pair of shoes that need shining?

quote Originally posted by skuzzbomer: I don't think I own a pair of shoes that need shining?

I only own one pair that could.. rest are suede. ( think 70's desert boots )

I went to a convention at the Gaylord and they had 3 of them, I got my boots done and after a good tip he put another coat on them.
They were good for 6 months after that, all I had to do was dust them off and run a buffer rag over them.

I don't shine my shoes anymore cut I could make a pair of steel toe boots shine like a mirror but they were very fragile.

quote Originally posted by Marvin McInnis: There used to be lots of them. These days: ) Find a shoe repair shop. 2) Many upscale hotels and major airports still have shoe shine stands. 3) Some big western wear stores have full-time shine stands, usually (in my limited experience) staffed by young, attractive, large-breasted cowgirls wearing low-cut tops.

Brennan--
Now I realize I fall into the "There's only 3 kinds of people in the world--those who know math and those who don't" category, but This--

is a no brainer.
Besides, no one is going to be looking at your shoes if your presentation is even 1/2 way decent, and Look at it this way-----even IF your presentation flops @ least you'll still have the memory of seeing our old friend Cleavage again. Your presentation is going to be standing on it's own merit anyway--not in your shoes.

quote Originally posted by Marvin McInnis: 3) Some big western wear stores have full-time shine stands, usually (in my limited experience) staffed by young, attractive, large-breasted cowgirls wearing low-cut tops.

A great deal of enthusiasm in that statement, and the disclaimer falls flat, to me anyway.

BDub, give your shoes a decent polish, and polish your presentation. You will be fine.

This is a possible solution. I do not condone this course of action and do not recommend it.
If you try this and royally eff it up, it's on you.

I had a 1SG that would lay down a good base of

CLICK FOR FULL SIZE

on his Corcoran combat boots(High gloss polish on toes and heal only, standard black on the rest) and after the base was nice and glossy, he would lay go over it with a thin coat of

CLICK FOR FULL SIZE

and before the edge dressing had a chance to dry he'd put his boots in the oven at the lowest temperature setting for about 45 minutes to an hour.

His boots were black glass when he got done with them. Just don't scuff them as you'll be redoing the entire boot.Click to show

Anyone can spit shine a pair of boots in an hour or less that will pass any inspection without going thru all that Rallaster--and they'll hold up too. I've done it hundreds of times myself. It ain't rocket science.

Wear black sneakers..

steve

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

quote Originally posted by maryjane: Brennan-- Now I realize I fall into the "There's only 3 kinds of people in the world--those who know math and those who don't" category, but This-- is a no brainer. Besides, no one is going to be looking at your shoes if your presentation is even 1/2 way decent, and Look at it this way-----even IF your presentation flops @ least you'll still have the memory of seeing our old friend Cleavage again. Your presentation is going to be standing on it's own merit anyway--not in your shoes.

Good call.... on all points

P.S. My presentation will rock. I have a lot of awesome stuff going on at work. I just wanted to look extra spiffy.

Last time i saw one was in Tijuana. 20 years ago.

It looks like the OP question got answered satisfactorily, but last shine stand I saw was in the OKC courthouse. (Juror, not defendant)

quote Originally posted by maryjane: Anyone can spit shine a pair of boots in an hour or less that will pass any inspection without going thru all that Rallaster--and they'll hold up too. I've done it hundreds of times myself. It ain't rocket science.

Oh, absolutely.

He wasn't happy with a spit shine. Said it wasn't glass.

(This was on Ft. Knox, where the only part of the AR and TM that got looked at was about pomp and circumstance. They could've cared less if you could tear your service weapon down. They just wanted you to look your BEST while doing it.)