Enkythings

Once upon a time, Enkythings was one of the go-to places for shoes in Second Life. My friend Peter Stindberg took me there and I wound up buying several pairs of shoes.

Now, of course, Second Life is about fake feet and mesh-- and yet while Enkythings no longer seems to be making new products, there's still a store in world, where shoes sell for laughably low prices. The sim, happily, is named Shoes!

If you visit, check out the back wall near the entry. There you'll find several models for sale at just $25L. Demos are available.

A few weeks ago Sweetie and I visited. I was focused on the shoes, but she was appreciating the design of the store. When I tore my eyes from the display I wondered how I had missed it.

First and foremost, a store's design should provide an atmosphere that keeps the customer focused on the products. In that, the design succeeded, for I had been totally focused on the products.

The design is open, with large opening between the different sections of the store. It's not necessary to carefully maneuver your avatar to get from one place to another, and there are no obstacles in the middle of the floor.

I liked the gentle curves and the fabric in the window openings. The horizontal stripes on the walls added to the open feeling and drew my eyes to the products.

Here's the store from the outside:

By the way, the floor, which looks gray in the photos above, is beige.

Here's a photo of Aoharu, another place I like.

The front galleries are open, but sales take place in rooms that look like Filene's basement-- minus the crowds.

Well, that's what it feels like, anyway.

So anyway, if you're in the market for cheap shoes, drop by Enktythings. Your feet won't be fake, but perhaps that's not entirely a bad thing.