So begins Gary Matheny's humorous recollection of his youthful days in the profession that changed his life and set him on the path toward many of his life's major goals. "If the Shoe Fits, Wear It: Life and Times of a Shoe Salesman," is a happily remembered journey to a simpler time, a time when a young man on a mission to make his mark in the world could start a business before he turned twenty, finding business success at an age unheard of today. It was also a time when women—especially young women--came to the malls every weekend in search of the latest fashion for the feet. On arrival they found not only a glorious array of footwear but young men eager to slip that delicate little foot into the newest styles, make a sale that might include handbags and various shoe polishes and best of all, eager to make a move on a pretty young thing.
Matheny's recollections of those days in Macon, Georgia, from 1969 to 1976, come alive on the page, as he recalls his first days in the ladies shoe business, at the tender age of sixteen. Realizing that bagging groceries would never bring him close to his goals of being cool and meeting lots of cute girls, Matheny began looking for a change. His future was sealed when his best girl Brenda needed a new pair of penny loafers and asked him to accompany her to Butler's Shoes at the new Westgate Mall. The rest, as they say, is history.
Matheny moves quickly from being a shoe store employee to being a shoe store owner, in moves that take him out of his hometown all the way to Greensboro, North Carolina, where he becomes a Marilyn's Shoe Store Assistant Manager at age nineteen. He was on the way to the top.
Eventually he and his brother Mickey make their way back to Macon and have quite a run with stores that bear their name, Michael's of Macon. These were good days, happy days. But after three years the economy took a down turn and they decided to close the stores. They'd had a good run, but now it was time to get a job!
Matheny's life as a shoe salesman, he makes clear, paved the way for all his future business success. He learned the price you must pay to be successful in any field—the long hours, the being away from home and family—all those self-denials that prepare the person for life's hard knocks. It is a story told through the long lens of history (this was more than thirty years ago) but the nostalgia is neither syrupy or sweet—it is funny as only good things can be funny.
You owe yourself a quiet corner and an afternoon to read Matheny's tale of a simpler time, when selling shoes was a lofty ambition for a sixteen-year-old boy, and all the girls were pretty.
My Take on the Book
I cannot say that I ever sold shoes in the past, but this book gives me an amazing inside glance at the world and at how one man made this an amazing experience for himself and for the people that he worked and interacted with.
This book was a fun and quick read and I found myself smiling through it as the author related many of his experiences with the reader.
What I loved most about this book was the down-to-earth tone that it takes as well as the stories that he tells. You feel like the author is in the room and in many parts you find yourself either laughing or smiling as he recounts these experiences.
The book was fun, engaging and a book that I would recommend to all!
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment