Welcome to Mernes London: Our Final Steps, Toward Home and Family

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Hello there! I’m Jake, co-founder of Mernes London. For over 40 years, my wife Olivia and I have poured our hearts into every stitch of every shoe we've made. But today, I want to share a more personal chapter — one that’s not about leather or laces, but about the people who mean everything to me.

 

This is the story of why we’ve decided it’s time to say goodbye, and spend more time with the ones who’ve waited patiently for us all these years.

Selling my handcrafted shoes at a local fair, 1982

 

It all started in a neighborhood market, with a table, a few handmade shoes, and Olivia beside me.


I was a young craftsman in love — with the trade, yes, but more so with her. Olivia was radiant, full of laughter and gentle strength. We were newly married, building a life from scratch, and the dream of a little family-run shoe brand seemed like something magical and almost impossible.


We worked long hours back then. We didn’t mind. We were driven by purpose and passion. But even in those earliest days, I remember us whispering about the future: kids running around the workshop… Sunday dinners with family… the joy of one day becoming grandparents.

The day it all started.

 

Visiting leather markets in Florence, Italy


Years later, we visited Florence on what was meant to be a short trip — and ended up staying for a month.


We immersed ourselves in the artistry of Italian leatherwork. Olivia fell in love with the textures, the finishes, the history. I fell in love with the way she glowed every time she picked up a new technique. But what I remember most was sitting in a piazza one evening, watching a local family laugh together over gelato. Their little grandchildren climbed all over their grandparents’ laps, carefree and adored.


Olivia looked at me and said, “Someday, I want that.”
And I said, “You’ll have it. We’ll have it — when the time is right.”


We returned to London with more than new tools and ideas — we came back with a deeper desire to build not just a business, but a life worth sharing.

Olivia and I visiting the fur market in Florence.

 

Opening our first boutique in London


The day we opened our first Mernes London boutique, our two children were still small.
They used to nap in the back room while we worked, or help us polish shoes (badly) just to feel included. It wasn’t always easy — we missed school recitals, birthday parties, even the occasional Sunday roast. But Olivia and I always said: “We’re doing this for them.”


We wanted to show them the value of hard work, of building something with your hands. And we did. But in the process, we often postponed the simple joy of just being together.


They grew up fast, as kids do. And now, they have children of their own. Little feet. Little hands. Little voices calling me “Grandpa Jake.”


And this time… I don’t want to miss a thing.
 

Olivia and I opening our store.

 

Handcrafting shoes side by side in our London studio


Even after all these years, Olivia and I still come into the studio together. We still get a thrill from selecting the perfect leather hide, debating over designs, and stitching every pair with the care only decades of experience can bring.


Our shoes have become known for their comfort, durability, and timeless elegance — but what I’m most proud of is that people feel our story in them. They feel the humanity, the care, the love.


Every pair we’ve sold has helped support our little family, put our kids through school, and eventually, helped us spoil our grandkids with extra dessert when their parents weren’t looking. We built a beautiful life around this craft. But the truth is: shoes can wait. Grandkids can’t.

Working together in our workshop.

 

The true reason for our happiness


Lately, I’ve found myself watching the clock more than I used to.


Not because I’m waiting for the workday to end, but because I can’t wait to see the kids again. Our granddaughter, Lucy, just started learning to ride a bike. Our grandson, Theo, keeps asking me to teach him how to make "grandpa’s magic shoes." Olivia wants to plant roses in the back garden, and I want to be right there with her, sipping tea, hands dirty, no rush.


And so, after much thought — and a few tears — we’ve decided to close Mernes London.


We’re not retiring because we’re tired of the work. We’re retiring because we don’t want to miss another bedtime story, another scraped knee to kiss, another quiet evening holding hands while the sun sets.


This chapter has been beautiful. But the next one — the one with toy trains, flowerbeds, and birthday candles — is calling us home.

A promise that waited a lifetime.

 

Our farewell collection – now available online


Before we go, we want to offer something special — our Farewell Collection.
It’s the final expression of everything Olivia and I stand for: love, dedication, and honest craftsmanship. Every pair is handcrafted in our London studio with the same care we’ve always given, but with the added emotion of knowing it’s our last.


We’re offering a special closing sale as our way of saying thank you — for supporting us, for believing in our story, and for letting our shoes be part of your lives.


This is your last chance to own a piece of Mernes London — and a piece of the love and family behind it.


Visit our website, and let us make one final pair for you, with all our heart.

With gratitude and all our love,
Jake & Olivia Mernes
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