“These Bummels are made for walking,” says a happy customer in Cape Town. As your feet are made for walking, so is Bummel – encapsulating all that Bummel shoes is about – made from 100% pure breathable leather, very comfortable, only the best in quality, and based on the craftsmanship of German precision.
The name of his business originates from the German word “bummeln,” meaning to take a leisurely stroll. “We strive for utter comfort when someone wears our shoes,” says Michael Stumpfe, founder and owner of Bummel Shoes.
It all started when Michael’s father, Rolf, of German descent, set up his own business in 1990 and became the founder of Der Lederhändler, a manufacturer of leather products in George. It is in this environment of creative craftsmanship that Michael grew up. “I have a passion to make beautiful quality leather shoes, and the German in me is passionate about quality.”
In his own words Michael reveals: “At Bummel we make the most comfortable handcrafted leather shoes.
It is all leather – leather uppers, leather insoles, and leather linings that are made of local leather to last, providing the best in quality and stitching.
You will not find any synthetic materials touching your feet in a pair of Bummel shoes.
With a father, designing and making shoes for the past 40 years, Michael stepped in to learn the trade, while working with his father. In the back of his mind, he had a dream to become the owner of his own Shoe Boutique one day.
It is the German character in Michael that made him passionate about quality. Who better than his father could have advised him to engage in an apprenticeship in Germany where he was taught how to operate every machine in the field of manufacturing leather shoes? After his apprenticeship, he studied shoe design. The completion of his internship took him to Kennel and Schmenger in Germany. Thereafter he joined Watson Shoes in South Africa, where he specialized in designing and making men’s, woman’s and children’s shoes.
In 2018 Michael left Watson Shoes and set up his own business, Bummel Shoes in George in the manufacturing of hand-made high-quality attention-to-detail leather shoes. The quality of these hand-crafted Bummel Shoes can only be illustrated against the experience he attained in this field. “I design shoes, yet, I also have the skills to machine, and make the shoes I design,” Michael says.
However, when disaster strikes one is left with the question? “Why me?” But a disastrous fire does not always impact one’s business forever. “There is nothing I 
can do without God – even the disastrous fire we recently experienced, destroying stock and leather, was a blessing in disguise. The fire stopped production which provided us time to upgrade their factory, something we never before had the time to do,” Michael continues.
The Product
If you are unable to visit the Bummel Shoe store in George, you can view Michael’s accomplishments on the Bummel website. The magic of his designs brings out the stylishness of a manufactured classic – very comfortable yet, trendy shoes. There is something for everyone – from the traditional men’s brown leather shoes to a bright red, yellow, and even a Nguni-skin shoe and for the ladies, the ever-loving Zuri and Zuri Strap ranges and sandals.
Recently Michael also opened a Bummel Shoe store in the Rosebank Mall in Johannesburg. Visiting their factory in George gives you a pretty good idee of their professionalism. Through their manufacturing skills in producing such comfortable shoes, Michael’s real artisan craftmanship plays up to serve feet with many years of comfortable “bummeln”.
Join the many happy clients in a leisurely stroll at Bummel, and in Bummel Shoes.
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 8 am until 5 pm and Friday from 8 am until 1 pm.
For more information contact Michael on 082 511 9647
email [email protected], www.bummel.co.za or visit 46 York Street, Cnr York and Laing St, George Central, Western Cape
