MooShoes

Profile

Billed as a “cruelty free” shoe store by its vegan owners, MooShoes sells affordable alternatives to leather. Ironically, the store first opened in an old butcher shop in Gramercy Park, but now has a chic, roomy Lower East Side home. A surprisingly wide variety of styles fill the space — from eco-centric brands like Vegetarian Shoes to vegan designs from mainstream companies like Dansko. Many of the shoes are made from water-resistant, synthetic leather that breathes, expands, and looks pretty close to the real thing. Despite the occasional sandal and hemp shoe, the store generally has a punk-rock sensibility, with mary janes and combat boots for sale alongside faux-leather jackets and wallets, vegan cookbooks, and T-shirts with slogans like “Praise Seitan.” On selected days, the shop donates 10% of sales to an animal-rights group and occasionally even hosts adoption days, when customers can go home with a dog or cat. — Rachel Corbett