Jazz. That’s the brand of my 9-year old shoes. I bought it in 2001 for US$ 24 in Olongapo City. It’s cheap, it’s durable, it’s high-quality and it’s not imported. Jazz is manufactured in Marikina City and it’s a common knowledge here that Marikina produces cheap yet high quality shoes. I wonder why this brand of shoes didn’t make well in the Philippine market; I don’t see any Jazz shoes anymore.
Here’s the history of my Jazz shoes. In December 2001, I decided to buy a new pair of shoes for the company Christmas party. You see, Christmas party in Wistron is quite extravagant as compared to the other companies in SBMA. When you say extravagant, you’ve got to dress a little to fit in for the occasion. With PhP 2,000 (US$ 43) in my pocket, I went to a mall along Rizal Avenue and there I saw this black high cut, a semi-boots, and it was even on sale! I wear a size 7 and the shoes on display was my size. The leather was soft on the inside and the sole was light for a semi-boots. I bought it for the Christmas party then.
The major weakness of Jazz shoes is its wooden heels; it has a tendency to loosen after years of using. In 2002, I had a minor bus accident because of this. Just when I was about to step down the bus, the right heel of my shoes was disintegrated and so I fell to the ground while the bus was slowly running. I suffered from minor bruises. My mother told me to throw away my shoes but I thought, the leather was still good, I could have the heels repaired instead. So I had it repaired.
In 2004, the sole of my Jazz shoes had some cracks so my socks always got wet during the rainy season.Again, I sent my shoes to the shoe repair shop for a much needed “change sole.”
Up to now, the leather does not fade; thanks to Kiwi shoe wax. This pair of shoes has been my companion during company events, job interviews, dinner dates, movie dates, family affairs…etc. If I were to compute for its depreciated value after 9 years, would you believe that it is now a negative 600 pesos? (-US$13)
Maybe I am wrong in assuming that Jazz shoes are no longer available in the market. I’d love to buy three new shoes from them.
The World of Second Chances 