Jaunted

Tags: T5 at JFK / Jetblue / JFK / Eero Saarinen / Airport Services / → All Tags

Fancy-Schmancy Shoeshines at JetBlue's Terminal 5

While you can expect a new airline terminal to have a thing for reminiscing over the chic days of burgeoning jet travel, Jetblue's Terminal 5 at JFK has stepped beyond retro cocktail lounges and barbershops to embrace a designer shoeshine stand.

Paying homage to the design of the original TWA Terminal 5, designed by Eero Saarinen, Jetblue's stand has taken the famous "Egg" chair design by another Scandinavian contemporary of Saarinen, Arne Jacobsen, and transformed it into a shoeshine worthy of the history of the location. Operated by A Shine & Co. out of San Francisco, the stand employs a colorful cast of people who actually act as though buffing your loafers was the highlight of their day.

Because of New York's recent heavy winter weather and all of the resulting salt on the streets, we bet that A Shine & Co. is doing brisk business restoring the sheen to many shoes. This might no longer be the days of wingtips, but it is always nice to see someone attempting to make the best arrival appearance as possible. Now to rid the world of "travel sweatpants."

Related Stories:
· A Shine & Co. [Official Site]
· T5 at JFK coverage [Jaunted]