Shoe store Portland, OR, with wide women's casual shoes
April 30, 2022 7:46 AM Subscribe
I have somewhat wider feet than most women, apparently. I also have bouts of Plantar Fasciitis. I need shoes with a good firm sole and wide width. I am going to Portland this weekend and would like recommendations of a good shoe store or two that I can try on shoes that are in a wide width. Birkenstocks, Lems, or any other that may come in a women's wide and have at least a closed toe and come in some kind of natural material (leather preferred,) that I can wear when I am teaching and look somewhat professional.
Keens were my go to shoes, but they seem to have changed and the quality and the footbed have gone downhill and are no longer reliable for me to order online. I just want to be able to try on some shoes, and not have a hassle of trying to do returns for online places.
I teach, am on my feet most of the day, and am hoping for something slightly more professional looking than running shoes (which usually compress too quickly and start making my feet hurt to be worth the money,) or hiking shoes. My local stores (Tri Cities, WA) carry very few items in wide for me to try on.
I would like to take advantage of my trip to Portland for other things to stop at least one store while I am in the area.
Keens were my go to shoes, but they seem to have changed and the quality and the footbed have gone downhill and are no longer reliable for me to order online. I just want to be able to try on some shoes, and not have a hassle of trying to do returns for online places.
I teach, am on my feet most of the day, and am hoping for something slightly more professional looking than running shoes (which usually compress too quickly and start making my feet hurt to be worth the money,) or hiking shoes. My local stores (Tri Cities, WA) carry very few items in wide for me to try on.
I would like to take advantage of my trip to Portland for other things to stop at least one store while I am in the area.
There is a Nordstrom's in Portland. I haven't been there, but Nordstrom's is the only department store I can count on to regularly carry shoes that fit my WW feet. Other members of my family with large/wide feet (and even hard to fit because they're small) have reported the same experience in different stores across the country. I was even able to walk in and buy shoes for my son's wedding (I literally teared up and the normal-shoe-sized friend with me said she finally understood how hard it was). Your profile doesn't list a location, but if you don't have a Nordstrom's where you are, that would definitely be one place to look. Munro is the brand that I usually end up with. Wide seems to have a lot more options than double wide. On the website I see this and this, among others.
posted by FencingGal at 8:11 AM on April 30, 2022
posted by FencingGal at 8:11 AM on April 30, 2022
I usually recommend Ziera shoes for this; SAS before that. And it seems Shoe Mill, which has several locations around Portland, carries Ziera (as well as several other comfort brands; best house shoes I ever had were Ecco).
I can’t speak to the store or their actual stock though, it’s been almost a decade since I’ve been to Portland.
posted by nat at 9:42 AM on April 30, 2022
I can’t speak to the store or their actual stock though, it’s been almost a decade since I’ve been to Portland.
posted by nat at 9:42 AM on April 30, 2022
I know you don't want running shoes but I had the same experience of them "compressing" too quickly and I think it's actually, in my case, my feet expanding after a certain amount of time on them. For the last decade or more I've been buying men's EE sneakers, even though I'm a woman and my feet don't look particularly wide. I've had the same experience with Keens, they used to work great for me and now don't. Good luck!
posted by mareli at 9:46 AM on April 30, 2022
posted by mareli at 9:46 AM on April 30, 2022
Everyone is wearing pull-on Blundstones these days, and they're right: best walking around but still looking profesh boots I ever had. I own a women's and a men's style and honestly couldn't tell which is which by looks, but the men's are wider. Googling around I see Footwise in Portland has a good selection, plus other similar shoes.
posted by Freyja at 9:55 AM on April 30, 2022
posted by Freyja at 9:55 AM on April 30, 2022
If you still want to give Keens a chance, you can try 'em all on at the Keen Garage downtown. Clogs-n-More has four locations and, as the name suggests, stock a ton of Danskos and such, which look more professional are loved by folks who spend their days on their feet. Was also going to recommend Footwise for Birks or clogs, though if you need a wide Birkenstock they don't seem to carry those.
posted by mumkin at 9:59 AM on April 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by mumkin at 9:59 AM on April 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
I would also check out REI. They had a nice selection of wide supportive shoes the last time I was there. I went to the Bridgeport store, but they've got a few others in the area as well.
posted by hydra77 at 11:28 AM on April 30, 2022
posted by hydra77 at 11:28 AM on April 30, 2022
Boosting the recommendations so far for the Keen Garage, Clogs-n-More, Imelda's, and yes, try some Blundstones (which Imelda's usually carries). I tend to avoid the Current Fashion Brands and I wish I had bought some Blundstones years ago, my goodness these are comfy. They have a few different styles with slightly different widths.
posted by curious nu at 12:00 PM on April 30, 2022
posted by curious nu at 12:00 PM on April 30, 2022
Jay’s Wide Shoes is located near the Clackamas Promenade Target / Nordstrom Rack. I have narrow feet, so no personal experience, but they seem to have decent variety.
https://jayswideshoes.com/
posted by momus_window at 2:22 PM on April 30, 2022
https://jayswideshoes.com/
posted by momus_window at 2:22 PM on April 30, 2022
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posted by cnidaria at 7:52 AM on April 30, 2022