Key West's Funkiest Flip-Flops

I drove down to Key West last month for a long weekend of rest and relaxation. But, of course, there was some retail involved, too. My favorite find: a pair of leather sandals from Kino’s.

Established by Cuban immigrants, Kino has been making leather kicks for 47 years. Their collection includes men’s, women’s and kids' styles.

But the most popular is the Lilly, a unisex thong named after one of the owners’ daughters.

It takes the 12 “sandaleros” who work behind the counter in the Greene Street store about an hour to make each rubber-soled pair. And on days when cruise ships are in port throngs of passengers descend to try and buy. (To avoid the crush, I recommend you go when the store opens at 9am.)

I loved how the sandals are stored in beer boxes:

Back when Kino’s first opened a pair of Lilys was just $3. And even now they’re still a bargain: only $14 for these handmade flip-flops I bought, complete with a comfy padded footbed and on-trend color-block styling. Score!

In fact all Kino’s styles sell for less than $20. So if you're in the Conch Republic, feel free to do as cruisers do and pick up multiple pairs. Can't make it to the Keys? Snap up the sandals online at their website.