Royal Shine II

There aren’t many places left for a good old fashioned shoe shine. In Milwaukee you can go to the basement of the courthouse or one of two remaining full service shoe repair shops. If you want to keep your shoes on and read the paper it’s here or the Courthouse. If you don’t want to pay for parking or go through a security search, this place is the only choice. Less than an hour in hourly parking is free at the airport and then you’re a short walk to Royal Shine II. (I’m just now finding out Royal Shine I is in Mayfair Mall, so I guess there’s one more shoe shine option). Grab a coffee en route at Collectivo. 8 bucks for the shine makes it 10 even with tip, it’s an old fashioned good deal too.

Late last year, en route to Winnipeg, Manitoba on a work trip, I finally did a thing I’ve always wanted to do: I got my boots shined.
No, that’s no euphemism… though it really does sound like one, doesn’t it? (Heck, it actually sounds like a really, really good euphemism. Someone get on that!)
Fall/​winter/​spring in Wisconsin is hard on footwear; if you’re a lady, you’re either one of two types:
1.) The type that goes for it regardless. Heels in snow on NYE? You got this.
2.) The type that goes for ergonomics and safety regardless. Heels in snow on NYE? Batshit.
I fall into category numero dos; I can appreciate and do occasionally don cute footwear, but in summertime/​early fall/​late spring exclusively. It’s incredible how things change seasonally here. I have to wonder why I’m still in Brew City sometimes, especially given this past winter. Seriously. The worst.
Okay, so though I fall into category numero segundo, I know what’s up. A stylish pair of black leather boots can go a long way for a work hard-​play hard Milwaukee gal who’s at least halfway cognizant of the «style» discourse. So I had this great pair for a long time — may their soles now RIP — that served me well for almost four years. But towards the end, they got a little scuzzed up, for lack of a better term. I took care of ‘em as best I could, but as Boyz II Men so eloquently and beautifully once harmonized, «…we’d come/​to the end/​of the road.»
In a last ditch effort to look put-​together (and like I gave two shits about my soles), I stopped by Royal Shine II on my way out of General Mitchell, and all I can say is YES.
Legit shine. Legit polish. Legit dude workin’. Legit, legit, too much so to quit. (Clearly, because this noise is old school.)
Was it a little weird? Maybe. I always see middle-​aged dude suits in these chairs, it matters not where I go. Hotlanta airport? Same dudes in those chairs as at O’Hare, as at Denver, etc. Business men with very important business-​y type things to do. Guess what? I have important things to do, too. I too am busy. I too, am literally going places, and up the ante with the fact that I hail from a part of the world in which road salt and winter muck flows like whatever flows at Capistrano. I’m a lady and I needed my boots shined.
The gentleman (whose name now escapes me) working did a fab job… truly bang up. Those old soles looked as new and clean and matte-​shiny as they could’ve for their age after the shine was all said and done. And while conversation was sort of, oh… I don’t know, maybe a touch borderline uncomfortable («Tell me more about how you and your wife sleep in separate rooms,» and «Tell me I’m pretty just one more time,» and «It’s none of your damn business if I have a husband or not,» etc.) I’m a grown woman and I can deal. I know how to navigate gender politics at this point, generally speaking.
I should maybe knock ‘em down a star for professionality’s sake, but I’m not going to. Royal Shine II guy meant well and was very sweet; he also was obviously from another generation… I’m not going to hate. The shine, all told, I think was nine bucks? I tipped him lots and ran on my merry way, finding that I almost missed my flight as a result.
Moral of the story: Keep your shoe game tight & don’t miss your flight. Royal Shine II is where it’s at.

I go to many shoe shines in many airports, and the shiners have varying degrees of competence. No, that’s not fair, most shoe shiners are competent at what they do, they just aren’t as GOOD as some others. The man working in the D Terminal at MKE, I believe his name is Shelton? Sheldon? Does a very fine job. He calls out for more work, hustling, as a man needs to do, as he shines your shoes, but he really takes care of them. His style isn’t «foot massage» which can be great, but he just shines your shoes really WELL. He doesn’t take up too much of your time, but you also don’t feel that it went too quickly.
There is another «Royal Shine II» in the main terminal before you enter security. Also good, but this review, again, is for the one in Delta Terminal D. I’m just bummed I didn’t get a good photo so y’all will believe me that it EXISTS.