Deschwanden's Shoe Repair
Bakersfield, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Ever hear about the old woman who lived in a shoe? Check out The Big Shoe along Chester Avenue in Bakersfield. Complete with oversized rope shoelaces, this roadside treasure sits right next to a residence. No need to wonder what kind of business is inside when the whole building is a shoe.

Cobbler Chester Deschwanden built the shop in 1947, and his son Donald kept it going for more than 40 years. After sitting vacant for a decade, the shoe was purchased in 2002 and returned to work with cobbler Felipe Torres inside. Imagine the size of the foot needed to fill this one.

UPDATE: The Big Shoe remains a working shoe-repair shop. A car crashed into the entrance in February 2023, but repairs followed that spring. The old shoe is still standing, laces and all. 09-26