A little over five years ago, an outstanding theatre and film actor, master of improvisation, and founder and director of the theatre Kitas kampas, Audrius Bružas, decided to start his own business – a classic men’s shoe shop selling handmade footwear by master shoemakers.
As Audrius himself says, his grandfather instilled a special attention to footwear in him when he was young, teaching him how to clean and care for shoes. From then on, Audrius valued the quality, style and condition of his shoes. Therefore, the long-considered idea finally saw the light of day in October 2018 and was given a resounding name – OXFORD.
"The idea for the Oxford store was born out of a selfish desire to have a store for myself and others that sold high-quality, stylish, classic, and casual shoes, where you could always find tasteful shoe designs that were straight from the shoemaker's workshop. I enjoy switching between different ways of dressing, both on stage as an actor and in everyday life. To play, to experiment, not to get stuck in one form or state," says A. Bružas.
Audrius admits that you could just as well sell radiators or pipes, but when you are an actor, style becomes an important part of life. Having learned to care for shoes from his grandfather, the entrepreneur now knows far more about them. Constant travel, meeting world-renowned masters who cherish centuries-old shoemaking traditions, and immersing himself in different manufacturing technologies, materials, and styles have cultivated Audrius' passion for high-quality shoes. Which is why the Oxford store now only stocks carefully selected shoes that have been tried on by the actor himself.
"I thought long and hard about how to best present, demonstrate, and talk about what makes Oxford so special. On the theatre stage, on screen and at various events, I have proven that quality is paramount—it is my life's main companion. For this very reason I decided I needed to be bold and open that this is my business – the business of Audrius Bružas, the actor – and that it is part of my life, my style and my image," says A. Bružas about finding the courage to step into retail.
The artist admits that having achieved a lot in life, he always wants more. Audrius jokes that he is always looking for a bigger workload and more adrenaline. Therefore, after three years, following the first waves of quarantine, in September 2021, he opened his second business – a theatre house – a high-quality cocktail bar Kitas kampas, and a couple of years later he launched his second store, Sneakers & Readers, specialising in sports footwear and casual clothing.