Olive Shoes

I was hit by a wave of déjà vu as soon as I walked into the Olive Shoe boutique. Fancy, unique, European and designer shoes… now where have I felt this feeling before?
Then it hit me. This looks just like that bizarre Montessori School I visited a few years ago. There they were, shoes lined up, equally spaced, at exactly the same angle. And it freaked me out just as much as it did when I saw that school.
Now I’m a girl who appreciates a clutter-​free, organized environment, but everything was just a little too precise here. The clerk was pleasant, but I’m sure she was ready to reorganize with a ruler if I dared move a shoe out of position. Seriously, that happened at the Montessori School.
These are fancy shoes (didn’t see anything under $ 250 in the place), so I would have to win big at my next poker night to buy something here. There weren’t too many styles that caught my eye, but I did see a pair of Italian Coclico sandals that I’d love to wear this summer (and 10 summers after that at these prices!).

When I am away from Seattle and Ped (now A Mano) my next favorite shoe store is Olive in Portland. Where else can I find Repetto flats, anything Georgina Goodman, or Cydwoqs.
Plus I know its pricey ladies, but keep checking back… almost everything goes on sale sooner or later…;) Furthermore, everything I have bought here is still going strong even with the beating I give my shoes.
I agree with the others that the sales staff is really friendly and accommodating.
Plus if you find yourself shopping at the 4 – 6 hour head three blocks down is the best happy hour in town at Andina.

Wow. What an amazing shoe haven! The sales girls are helpful and full of knowledge. The shoes are pretty unique to the Portland scene. Pricey but worth the dent in your bank account.

Lured by a playful, fun and fetching window display I ventured into Olive… sure that I would lust after shoes I couldn’t afford. True to my instincts the shoes were WAY overpriced, but luckily (for me and my lack of self-​restraint around cute shoes) the shoes were totally unappealing.
The store is small, the shoe selection is small, and the shoes they do choose to carry are not to my liking. The shoes are unique however, and may appeal to some. But I would skip this store and find footwear at any number of other great nearby locales: Sole, Imelda & Louie’s, Zelda’s Shoe Bar (on 23^rd), or even Nordstrom.
Enjoy the window display but don’t waste your time walking in here.

Great shoes. Wonderful shoes. TEMPTING shoes. Even a lovely array of kid’s shoes.
But so, so, so overpriced. The people who work here are lovely and helpful. And the shoes, did I mention the shoes? So nice. But they’re way too expensive, and you’ll probably never wear them, and you should just walk on by lest they steal your soul.