If you were a student in the Village during the end of the 20th century, you definitely spent some shopping time on the stretch of Eighth Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues. In addition to the used record stores and head shops, it was also the place to go for inexpensive men's shoes. But then, in the late '90s, something happened. As rents went up, the smaller shoe stores began disappearing, leaving us at the strip's current sad state. Only a large chain like Make 10 has been able to survive, with the exception of the appropriately named Rugged Sole. It wouldn't be so bad if new shops were replacing the closed ones, but, unfortunately, a walk down the strip these days is a seemingly endless march past "for rent" signs. Anyone else have fond (or otherwise) memories of this former cheap shoe mecca?