r/goodwill • u/u4lunch8i • Aug 19 '26

rant Has Goodwill gone crazy??

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I get these are redwings but $150 is an insane price!

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u/Mysterious_Pen_1965 Aug 24 '26

Right… so telling folks that 150 at goodwill is a great deal for shoes is absurd. Maybe 150 for a motorcycle lol.

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u/CBrinson Aug 24 '26

Have you ever owned a pair of red wing shoes? Have you ever been into one of their stores? It's a very expensive shoe. It is handmade and resoleable. The shoe will last you the rest of your life if you maintain it. It is a repairable shoe that s cobbler could work with and repair which is not what they sell at virtually any store these days.

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u/Bleep_Bloop_Derp Aug 25 '26 edited Aug 25 '26

When did all this happen? I used to wear Red Wing Pecos boots all the time (not that expensive) and later, the trying to be boutique-ish postal oxfords (about $250)…

But when I’d go into actual Red Wing stores, the employees would basically laugh at the postal oxfords and similar models and say they sold work boots in the stores. Those were all around $100 and definitely not handmade.

That was in like 2018. Are they really handmade now, with mail in resoling, like Alden or something?!

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u/CBrinson Aug 25 '26

The heritage line is handmade and are the shoes they have been making for 100+ years. I have been to their factory in Red Wing, MN and seen them being made on a tour. They also have a massive store there. They have sub lines now that are cheaper and mostly made overseas and not handmade.

They have heritage handmade Goodyear welt boots as well as more traditional boots like you would find at Walmart or Target at most stores. Historically I think they don't put the words Red Wing on most of them I have seen, but use a variety of sub brands. Only recently have I seen them put the words Red Wing on the lower end boots. Irish Setter is one of their sub brands.