We got an email this week from Andrew Lock, a forum acquaintance who’s apparently been working behind the scenes to develop a line of men’s footwear. His goal was straightforward: good shoes for $250, retail. Certainly an admirable objective.
Andrew Lock shoes are goodyear welted, made in Spain and England. The Spanish-made shoes are listed as “benchgrade,” and sell for $250. The English-made shoes, called “handgrade,” sell for $450, including this lovely boot. We haven’t handled any of the shoes yet, but I’m ready to give Andrew some credit for targeting a niche that needed targeting: more affordable simple shoes. The $250 price point for the benchgrade line is $85 less than Allen Edmonds, their most direct competition.
Andrew says he’ll send us a pair, so in a few weeks we’ll try to make a more comprehensive evaluation, but in the meantime, you can check out the line at andrewlockshoes.com.