John Brandolino
“The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art.”
“The connection that our feet have to the ground is probably the most undervalued connection we make.”
I guess it all began that day I got a phone call from Joel Feldman, a re-known woodcutter from Carbondale Illinois. He wanted a pair of the Derby shoe we just launched in the US from Birkenstock- he said, “If you can get me a pair of these Derby’s I will send you a woodcut. I had no idea what a woodcut was- but getting him the shoes his retailer wouldn’t be my first task at hand. About 3 or 4 weeks later I get this tube from Joel and inside is a woodcut titled “and the rabbits were surprised”. Fast forward 20 years and his friend from Lexington, KY visits my shoe store in Key West and says- that’s a Joel Feldman woodcut- yes I said – do you know him…yes we are friends and he now lives in Lexington, KY. I went to the Derby that year and met the man behind the rabbit’s surprise. It is one of my most coveted pieces of art and set me down this path of art collection and art I think.
I don’t have one yet, but my next flirtation w art came in Miami Beach…This old French Man had a gallery on Lincoln Road- named Art Carousel. His featured artist – Bernard Buffet- a French Expressionist. Back then $5K for a painting even for me was a tough swallow….now forget it….maybe one day….we’ll see. But his canny darkness coupled with period color for me is beautiful.
Freshly laid off from Birkenstock, I ventured to Rio with a stopover in Sao Paulo where I was lucky to meet Romero Britto in his Jardins Gallery. It would be then that my art affection would grow as I did. We met and I got a bear painting from him – we spoke – he later offered me a job- but I had already opened my shoe store in Key West.
Since April 2005…I was fortunate to build a great shoe business that afforded me the luxury of collecting art. Of course, I started with Romero- my favorite and progressed to include Peter Max, Goddard, Butirsky, Leficort, and the ever so talented iconic realist painter Adam Scott Rote who I will be teaming with to launch the Hollywood Legacy Art Collection around the metal from the Hollywood sign at Art Basel 2021.
Basel is now the stage set to launch my new store – a fusion of Art and Footwear under one roof. Romero told me that the founder of Basel started out this way---hmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnnnnn
I also cannot forget to mention the 2 other artists I am featuring at Basel: Margot Holzapfel – we met in a small town in Austria, Ybbs an der Donau…an introduction led to her studio and now after 7 years of friendship and 3 exhibitions including this year’s Basel. Alex Melo – I met at a hippie fair in Ipanema selling gallery work for $50 or 200 Reais. He didn’t know how good he was….10 years later – I will exhibit him at Basel 2021 as well.
What happens moving forward – who knows – so far is has been an artful colorful ride.
Shoes Stars Metal…
“Life is short. Buy the damn shoes!”
The Legend of “The Sole Man”
The name and concept behind “ The Sole Man” began twenty years ago, not on Duval Street in Key West, but rather on Lincoln Road in South Beach, Florida. John Brandolino moved to South Florida from California in 1993 at the request of his former employer, Birkenstock USA. His aim was to nurture existing businesses and grow their territory. He had a talent for building strong partnerships with retailers and in the process learned everything necessary to open his own business some day.
After twelve years working for them in all aspects of the business from marketing to product development, John received a phone call and it all came to a fateful end. He was laid off, while in the same town he made his first visits as a sales rep so many years ago - Key West. He seized this pivotal moment as an opportunity; as the potential for his dream, the dream of owning his own business and sharing his wisdom. John’s customer, Rosemary, owned a Mephisto Store in Key West.
What John did not know is that she wanted to sell it and move back to Fort Meyers. She wanted John to buy her business, not only because of their close business and personal relationship but because she knew he would be the best person to transform the store. Having fallen arches as a young adult, John learned early in life the value of arch support and quality footwear “I’ll never forget the day I stepped into my mother’s friend of Birkenstocks. It all made sense.” He realized that shoes need orthopedic value with contoured footbeds to support the arch, bones, muscles, and ligaments we take for granted. The connection that our feet have to the ground is probably the most undervalued connection we make. He holds strong to the belief that his footwear and customer service enhance people’s quality of life. The Mephisto store was reborn as The Sole Man on April 1st of 2005. In 2011 the remodel and remerchandising of the store was the final touch. He has found his calling, selling the finest shoes from all over the world while sharing his personal and professional wisdom about the overlooked connection our feet have to the earth. Literally and figuratively the Footprint he will leave with Key West and the world.
John, The Sole Man, has a staff of footwear experts ready to serve you and your active lifestyle. He still works the business most days selling what he considers the finest shoes available. “Every brand I carry offers what I consider the most prominent foundation in quality comfort footwear.” So…