The author had a high opinion about Mr Gessler as a bootmaker. He knew that Mr Gessler made only what was ordered, and the boots that he made never failed to fit. The author felt that to make such boots as Mr Gessler did seemed mysterious and wonderful.

The author visited the shop so infrequently because the boots made by Mr Gessler lasted for a long time.

When the author remarked that a certain pair of boots he had got earlier creaked, Mr Gessler looked at him for a time without replying, as if expecting him to withdraw or qualify the statement. Then, he said that the shoes should not have creaked. He then asked the author to send the boots back, and if he could do nothing of them, he would take them off his bill.

Mr Gessler’s complaint against big firms was that they got customers only because of advertising, and not because of any quality work. Mr Gessler, who loved his job and who used to make good quality boots, had very little work because people preferred the big firms.