Shoeshines at JetBlue’s Terminal 5

There’s not many airports where you see the old shoeshine stand, but you do at JetBlue’s home in Terminal 5 at JFK.

Inkeeping with the whole design aesthetic of the terminal, they’ve taken the famous “Egg” chair designed by a Scandinavian contemporary of the original T5 designer Saarinen (Arne Jacobsen) and transformed it into a shoeshine concession.  Its operated by A Shine & Go from San Fancisco who take shoe shines to a level probably not seen in quite a few decades.  They’re a colourful cast of people who act like buffing your mules is the absolute highlight of their day – giving you not only a nicely spruced pair of shoes but a bit of entertainment in the process.

So how’s it working, apparently during the heavy winter weather which trashes shoes in minutes, they’re run off their feet.  The operators have found it so successful that other terminal’s are now seeking them out with rumors they’ll soon also be in other state’s.