Over 100 Years in Business
“On Eddy Street in Collegetown… since before you were born!”
The business of selling shoes is still done the old fashioned way at Fontana's Shoes in Ithaca, NY. The store was founded in 1907 by Cesare Fontana who came to this country from Segni, Italy in 1905. With a desire to follow the tradition of many Italians in the shoe building industry, Cesare worked as a bricklayer for Cornell University until he had enough money saved to open his shop.
The shop first started as a shoe repair store, where Cesare worked as a cobbler. He then began selling shoes in the 1940's, and the Fontana family continued the business through four generations, all while paying close attention to customer service and keeping a keen eye on trends in the business.
The store changed hands in 2002, this time to Shawn Manning, who had worked closely with the Fontana Family for years before making the leap to store owner.
The staff still uses Brannock devices for measuring customer's feet, and customers receive focused one-on-one attention. The intense amount of training the staff has received on the craft of shoe sales and repairs is very apparent, as is the desire to achieve proper fit and comfort for EVERY single customer.
The 2,000 square foot store carries MANY brands, serving fashion minded-college students, alongside comfort-minded local residents. An attention to coming trends and a precise knowledge of foot ailments and proper fit have made Fontana's a shining star in Central New York.
