What is the value of handmade?  It's a question that many of us ask ourselves as we price our handmade goods or search for the perfect handmade gift.  Monetary value can be broken down easily enough.  Add the cost of materials, a decent hourly rate and you've got a number.  Prices allow us to buy and sell, but do they really reflect the value of our goods?  

When we buy handmade we're demonstrating...

If you have had the pleasure of meeting Mary Jane (or MJ as she’s known around here) then you know she’s an eclectic woman. When I met with MJ to collect information for this post, she was open and friendly and willing to share way more information than I could ever fit into one cohesive story. Suffice it to say that the Aurora Shoe Company has come to where it is today through many personal...

As we near the end of our Meet the Staff series, we'd like to introduce you to a member of the original 3 person crew.  Bill came into this business at the very beginning and has been with us ever since.  He's a guy of many talents (not just around here, as you'll see below) and a person whom the Aurora Shoe Company definitely wouldn't be the same without.

Bill grew up on a farm in Aurora and has...

Jesse has been with Aurora Shoe for more than a decade.  In that time he has become the resident expert at turning pieces of wrinkly leather into perfectly formed shoes that hold a shape and invite your feet to enter.  This process, called "wet forming" is one of the most unique steps in our shoes' production.  While most shoe makers form their shoes on a last, Jesse shapes ours by hand, leaving...