Just saw this thread the other day which got me thinking. J & M and Allen Edmonds are like Mercedes shoes. Made to go the long haul and be rebuilt over and over again. And they look great doing it. Sure, cheap $60 shoes might look just as good to the casual observer. You can even argue that they also get the job done. But after a year or two of regular use they are ready for the trash.
I have always bought Johnston & Murphy but over the weekend caught a great deal on sale at Nordstrom. I got these:
Allen Edmonds Park Avenue in black. Looking forward to the next 20 years of service...