I want to express my gratitude for 20 years to the 'specialty store for large-sized women's shoes'
Tulsa Time, a women's shoe specialty store that I had been 'supporting' since I was in high school, closed its doors at the end of last year.
It was a sudden announcement, with no warning at all.
It has been over 20 years since I first learned of its existence before entering high school and had my mother buy me loafers as a celebration for passing my entrance exams.
Compared to 20 years ago, the number of stores handling larger women's shoes has certainly increased. While that is true, even when I temporarily strayed to other shops, I always returned to Tulsa Time in the end.
Excluding indoor slippers, 90% of the shoes currently in my home were purchased at Tulsa Time. It is no exaggeration to say that it was an essential store in my life.
On the other hand, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they held sales to avoid bankruptcy. I imagine that rising raw material costs and a lineup heavily reliant on imports made management difficult given the recent weak yen.
Even so, I have nothing but gratitude that they kept the store running for this long.
What I loved about Tulsa Time
1. They always had shoes that fit my 'troublesome feet'
As I have written in other articles, I have had a complex about my feet since I was a child, and I have struggled with choosing shoes for many years.
・Large size(also called model size, not handled in regular women's shoe departments. In fact, my feet are larger than my husband's)
・Wide(at least 2E or wider)
・Asymmetry(the feet are different sizes. In my case, left < right)
During my elementary and junior high school years, my footwear was always men's sneakers. The reason was simple: there were no other options.
It was the era of the platform shoe boom, but even the so-called L-size zone of women's shoes was too small for my non-standard feet.
After that, I tried shoes from various apparel brands, but perhaps because they were designed for the average Japanese woman, the foot shapes were all narrow.
Days of wearing shoes that didn't fit while enduring scrapes and blisters continued.
Also, because there is a difference in size between my left and right feet, if I matched them to my left foot, the right would be tight, and if I matched them to my right, the left shoe would slip off. This was also a troublesome problem.
While most shoes on the market did not fit my feet, only the shoes handled by Tulsa Time fit my feet.
This was because a large part of their lineup consisted of shoes made with a wider width.
This meant a great deal to me.
If I go there, there will definitely be shoes I can wear.
Tulsa Time definitely saved me when I had no shoes that fit and was not just a fashion lost soul, but a refugee.
2. No sales pressure at all, and you can try them on until you are satisfied
It might be hard to believe, but in the 20+ years I have been visiting the store, I have never once been pressured or spoken to by a staff member while in the store, which is common in apparel shops.
This part is also posted on their official website as an 'important policy'.
“You can try on shoes to your heart's content”
It is our important policy not to approach customers so that they can choose their shoes at their own pace. Therefore, all items in stock are displayed in the store.
You can freely try on the cute shoes to your heart's content.
As I realized myself after trying on various shoes, even if they are lined up in the same size section, the sizing and fit vary considerably depending on the shoe and the manufacturer.To find shoes that fit you, trying them on is essential.
I also visited the store for many years and tried on pair after pair without anyone bothering me, which is how I met the manufacturer that I felt was 'the one'.
Furthermore, I was able to find a 'favorite' brand where I felt I didn't need any shoes other than theirs.
That was only possible because of Tulsa Time's policy of displaying all their stock and having the staff quietly watch over us.
3. A lineup that combines cuteness and quality
Until I discovered Tulsa Time, I had given up, believing that men's sneakers were the only shoes I could wear.
That was when I first thought, 'There are cute shoes that I can wear too' and 'Fashion is fun.'
I still cannot forget that feeling of being moved.
I couldn't dress like everyone else without compromising or enduring discomfort. For someone like me, they were like a savior.
Most of the prices were over 10,000 yen. As a student, it was an expensive purchase.
However, the loafers my mother bought me as a high school entrance gift lasted throughout my three years until graduation, despite literally being worn every single day.
If a shoe is high-quality, comfortable to wear, and cute, it is worth paying a fair price for.
Thinking that, I continued to buy shoes at the same store for over 20 years.
But I can never go to buy them again.
However, as a customer, I also bear some responsibility.
Because of their high quality, Tulsa Time's shoes did not wear out easily.
In other words, I did not buy more shoes every season.
If I had bought more and contributed to their sales, would the result have been different?
It might just be a coincidence, but the most recent hashtag project on note was 'Companies I want to support.'Even though I 'want to support' them, I can no longer do so. Thinking about that, I couldn't help but feel sad.
A new encounter was in Asakusa
Unable to sit still, I took some time off, thinking now was my chance before the busy season.
Relying on information from a blog, I visited a shoe manufacturer in Asakusa (Fuji Seika Kogyo).
It was written there that they had taken over some of Tulsa Time's inventory.
At the store, there were several shoes I had seen at Tulsa Time (including different colors of shoes I had once purchased!).
It seemed that this manufacturer had produced the shoes, supplied them to Tulsa Time, and then I had purchased them. That was the process.
I spoke to the owner and tried on a pair.
They were the very same Tulsa Time shoes I knew, with that familiar, comfortable fit.
Holding back my tears, I spoke to the owner.
I would like to refrain from detailing that conversation here.
However, I told them how grateful I was for the existence of Tulsa Time. Even as tears welled up while I spoke, the owner listened without saying a word.
I will definitely come back.
I promised the owner that and left Asakusa.
Even though Tulsa Time has closed, the shoes I have loved are still being made by craftsmen and continue to be sold here.
I felt relieved by that and was able to hold onto a little bit of hope.
I definitely want to visit Asakusa again.
And what I think now
That said, domestic manufacturers aside, for fans of the imported goods that Tulsa Time bought independently, it must be quite difficult to find a replacement following this closure.
Once again, I realize the magnitude of what has been lost.
Support the things you love while you can.
It is a phrase I have heard many times.
However, you don't realize the miracle and preciousness of your favorite things simply existing until you lose them.
So, let's support the things we love more while we still can.
I will not forget that such a wonderful store existed.
To Tulsa Time.
Thank you for everything until now.
And I will continue to buy products from the manufacturers you introduced.
You taught me the joy of fashion when I had large feet and no shoes I could wear for a long time.
I will never forget it. Thank you very much.
[Note]
Except for the final chapter, all manufacturer names in this article are written without honorifics.
