Payless Shoe Source in Downtown San Diego, California

There is no joy in walking when one hasn't a good pair of shoes to uncomplainingly cushion each footstep. And so, being able to find a good pair of shoes that look good without being overpriced, provide good traction, and last a long time fitting comfortably on your feet is a major source of contentment for car-less people who walk everywhere (like I do). In downtown San Diego, there is no better Mecca to the weary bipeds than Payless Shoe Source at the southeast corner of Broadway and 4th Avenue (just across the street from Horton Plaza).

This moderately big shoe store is something of a labyrinth. They sell all kinds of shoes, socks, and shoe-maintenance items (spare laces included), offering good varieties for each size (and the smallest male size here is 6! At other stores it's usually 7½). The sale associates have a counter at the right back corner of the first room you walk in and will usually call out their greetings to you when you enter the door (it has a bell). They're quite good about letting you browse and try on your potential next sole-mate (pun intended) in peace while being easily available to offer any help.

The shop is well organized. The ladies' shoes occupies the front half of the store. There's a bit of a children's shoe section in the middle before you run into the men's shoe section at the very back (and left) end of the place. The aisles are equipped with a small portable bench with a shoe mirror (plus a full size mirror at the end) to allow you a good look at the how good a make-over the shoes you are trying on are proving.

The price here is very good, and there is almost always some sort of a promotional sale going on. I dropped in to buy a new pair of dark leather shoes (you know, the type that'll allow you to fit in both on a hiking trail as at the opera house) last Tuesday and they were having a 'buy one item, get a second for half price... So I walked out of there 10 minutes later with both a good new pair of leather shoes and a 6-pack deal of high quality socks for $32 (the same shoes would have cost at least $10 more elsewhere in downtown area... if you can find them).

I only buy new shoes every 2 or 3 years, and if this store is still around the next time I need another pair, I'm heading straight here to save both time and money knowing I'll find just the kind of shoes I want rather than having to settle for the best fit of what they have.

Payless Shoe Source: 411 Broadway (at 4th Ave), San Diego, CA 92101. Tel. (619) 230-8727 Opens daily: 9AM-7PM (Sunday from 9AM-5PM). Major credit cards accepted. Website: www.payless.com