About Us
El & James
Shoes Made for Coming Home
About Us
Some brands are born out of ambition.
Ours was born out of memory.
My name is James, and this is more than a shoemaking workshop — it’s a tribute. A tribute to my father Elijah — “El” — a quiet man with leather-stained hands and a belief that shoes could guide people through life. Not just carry them, but protect them. Remind them where they’d been. And lead them back home.
Our Story
I grew up in a small house on the edge of a railway line in rural Ohio. My dad ran a humble shoe shop that had been in our family for three generations. He didn’t say much, but his hands spoke fluently — in stitches, in soles, in stories made of leather and silence.
When I turned eighteen, I left.
Not to take over the shop, but to join the military. My father didn’t try to stop me. He simply said:
“Maybe it’s time you find your own way.”
Those were the last words we ever exchanged.
Years later, I returned — with a limp and a different kind of weight on my shoulders.
A war injury had changed the way I walked. But losing my father while I was gone changed the way I stood.
Back in his old workshop, among the dust and quiet, I found something that stopped me in my tracks:
an unfinished pair of boots.
Inside, written in his familiar hand, it read:
“For when you find your way back home.”
That moment broke me.
And in breaking, it gave me the strength to build again.
Why We Exist
James & El is a small, independent shoemaking studio built on legacy, loss, and love. We handcraft every pair with care — just like my father did. And we do it alongside veterans and local artisans, because rebuilding a life takes community.
Each shoe tells a veteran’s story — a quiet tribute woven into every stitch, every sole.
We don’t believe in fast fashion.
We believe in slow hands, strong leather, and honest work.
What We Stand For
Craftsmanship with Soul
Every shoe is made by hand — in small batches, with big meaning.
Veteran-Powered
Our team includes former servicemen and women who, like me, are rebuilding from the ground up. Their stories live on in the shoes we create.
Shoes Made for Coming Home
Our designs are meant to last, and meant to bring comfort — physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Thank you for walking this journey with us.
Every pair we make is a step toward something real — and a story worth telling.
– James
Founder, Son, Shoemaker