In my opinion, too much has been made about the windows and facade at Friedman's shoes. The owners run a good store and give plenty back to the community. That was enough for me to become a customer, and one purchase was all it took to earn my loyalty. For others, that wasn't enough, but now even they have no excuse.
That's because over the next week, Friedman's will replace all of their old glass with the windows you see here. The sign will also be refurbished - but no worries! The iconic Friedman's signage will stay; that's an institution in and of itself. The doorway will also be redone to include historic photos of the store throughout the decades. The redesign is being done by Hawthorne's leading resident architect Alissa Luepke Pier, and another Hawthorne business, Mitchell Construction, is handling the installation work.
It's the best of all possible outcomes. Everybody wins and the work to refurbish is kept local. So what are you waiting for? Get yourself some shoes already.
