Made for More than a Mile: Joseph Cheaney & Sons’ Jermyn Street Store by Checkland Kindleysides

Snapshot: Take a stroll down London’s Jermyn Street to find Joseph Cheaney & Sons’ new flagship store, designed courtesy of Checkland Kindleysides. Making handmade footwear since 1886, the company shows us a new way to put one foot in front of the other with their fresh, new front.

Jermyn Street, the place for the London’s finest craftsmanship in terms of tailored shirts and quality wear has a new store that’s quite different from the traditional dark paneled fronts you would expect to find. Joseph Cheaney & Sons have made a bold statement with their flagship store, showing off their rich heritage and quality craft in a whole new way. Checkland Kindleysides, the team responsible for capturing the heart and ‘sole’ of the brand,  makes it apparent that having a rich 120 year history and tradition does not mean that it’s part of a bygone heritage, but a declaration that their craftsmanship has something new and fresh that we won’t find anywhere else.

The first section of the store looks back to Joseph Cheaney & Sons’ original (and only) factory. You’ll immediately notice the displayed pieces of material used to make the shoes lying about among the dissected pieces of footwear and of course the 1:100 scale model of the Northamptonshire factory encased in glass. That’s because everything Joseph Cheaney & Sons makes is handcrafted in England at their factory, a feat rare among manufacturers these days and something the company is rightfully proud to flaunt. Amidst the metal framed glass, white paneling and pegboard displaying the tools used to create their footwear, you get the impression of the defining, honest narrative that Joseph Cheaney & Sons wants to share with us.

Once you've been enraptured by their craftsmanship and history, you’ll no doubt want to try a pair of their shoes on. In the second portion of the store, designed to be reminiscent of a boardroom, you’ll be greeted by portraits of the original founders (Joseph Cheaney and of course, his son), but not in their original archaic frames –instead they’re presented in Perspex boxes, a touch that gives us a more down to earth and authentic perception of the originators. While you’re trying the shoes on, you’ll no doubt find yourself inspecting the wall that displays the earliest of the brands creations, a tiny museum of their work if you will. CK wants us to know that Joseph Cheaney & Sons has a history to celebrate, all while emphasizing that this store has something different to offer, choosing bold blues and lighter colors to give us a breath of fresh air with their more-so modern flagship design.

Creating their products from start to finish in England, the internationally renowned store shows us that their tradition of quality and time-worn expertise is something to celebrate with their new opening. So, take a stride down Jermyn Street and find for yourself that Joseph Cheaney & Sons’ flagship store is a contemporary and exciting new space.

Photography courtesy of Checkland Kindleysides