J.FitzPatrick - The End of an Era

For 13 years, I have been pulled in two different directions between J. FitzPatrick Footwear and The Shoe Snob.

The Shoe Snob was my original identity, founded in 2010, with a goal greater than any one brand: to see men wearing better shoes.

As a way to assist that goal in brand form, I started J. FitzPatrick Footwear. It was a large project with big aspirations, and I could not do it alone. I took on a partner, started a new company, and moved forward with grand shoe plans.

But in doing so, I also started to split my time between my personal platform and solely owned business, The Shoe Snob, and my partnership brand, J. FitzPatrick.

For 13 years, I put in 200% trying to keep both going and growing. But in doing so, I never truly excelled at one in the way I wanted, because my focus was always divided between two entities and two ideas. One was about growing the industry, and the other was about growing one brand that could help serve that industry.

A hard feat, to say the least.

I knew that one day, I would likely have to give up one of them. I think deep down, I wished it would be my shoe brand that became so successful that it forced me to shut down The Shoe Snob. But at the same time, I always knew that it was not the greater of the two ideas.

One was a brand.

The other was something bigger.

The Shoe Snob was never just about one product, one collection, or one maker. It has always been about the larger idea of helping men understand, appreciate, and wear better shoes. That idea spans languages, countries, people, and time. Ultimately, its importance is greater than any one shoe brand.

With many things that have happened in the background, it became evident that it was time for me, Justin FitzPatrick, to step away from the standalone retail platform of J. FitzPatrick Footwear and focus on that greater idea.

Therefore, J. FitzPatrick Footwear is no longer operating as an active retail site.

This decision is based on many factors, including changes in production, the practical reality of maintaining multiple platforms, and my desire to bring my future work into one clearer direction.

This does not mean I am stepping away from shoes, design, or the industry. Going forward, future footwear-related writing, updates, projects, and announcements from me will be shared through The Shoe Snob, the platform I have owned and operated since before J. FitzPatrick ever existed. The platform that was always my own.

For existing J. FitzPatrick Footwear customers with prior order questions or outstanding matters, I will continue handling those separately by email.

Thank you, as always, for the support over the years.

— Justin FitzPatrick

Future updates: www.theshoesnob.com

Existing J. FitzPatrick customer matters: info@jfitzpatrickfootwear.com