It’s a classic piece of kitschy roadside architecture on Chester Avenue in Bakersfield. If you’re driving by it for the first time, you might even do a double-take. The story of Bakersfield’s Big Shoe, today on KVPR’s Central Valley Roots.
Located at 931 Chester Avenue at 10th Street in Bakersfield, the “Big Shoe” shoe repair shop is a classic example of programmatic architecture. That’s a fancy term for buildings designed in the shape ordinary objects, often signaling what is sold inside.
According to a 1987 LA Times article, the shoe is 30 feet long, 14 feet wide, and 20 feet high at the heel. The laces were 50 feet of rope dyed black. The shop was built in 1947 by cobbler Chester Deschwanden, and was operated for decades by his son Don. While the shop has changed hands, you can still get your boots mended there to this day.
While it might be a beloved local landmark, the big shoe is actually part of a larger story. California was ground zero for programmatic architecture, starting in the 1920s. Perhaps it was Southern California’s car culture, the influence of the movie industry, or the innovative and irreverent spirit of the Golden State.
These unusually-shaped buildings were once all over the southland. Think of LA’s hat-shaped Brown Debry restaurant, the Tail of the Pup hot dog stand, shaped like a hot dog on a bun, or the roadside stands shaped like giant oranges that sold refreshment to weary travelers. They were examples of form following product, larger-than-life advertisements designed to catch the eye of a motorist driving by. While many are gone, Bakersfield’s big shoe remains a beloved landmark and roadside attraction.
