08/18/2025
I have tried a lot of shoes over the past 20+ years doing faires and events, and I will be honest. My first pair that I bought back in 2005 were always my favorite, unfortunately they of course didn't last 20 years, and each time I tried to replace them I was left very disappointed and out sometimes several hundred dollars. The first thing I did was try to buy the same pair that I loved originally, but the owner retired and the new owner imported replicas that didn't fit right. This year I said im done, and bought a pair of Turtle Island moccasins. Man they're perfect. I've tried other companies that custom make shoes, unfortunately the skills are passed down from person to person so much that people loose that skill. Last time I bought some my normal 11 1/2 shoe was made into a 9 and I was told just to soak them in water that they would stretch. Not 2 1/2 sizes. But at Turtle Island Richmond does your fitting and creates your shoes himself. He doesn't hire hundreds of employees so that he can be in every show to make thousands of pairs a year. He does everything himself, and they're worth every penny. Proud to say he loved the design we created enough to highlight them on his new website. First pair on the shorties page. Go check them out.
At Turtle Island Moccasins, every pair we craft begins with your story.Founded by Richard and Bhavani Polvino in 1992, we’re a second-generation family business known for meticulous, custom-fit leather footwear — from moccasins to everyday wear, including historical reenactment boots.We craft ev...
