In a 440 square-foot shop in Seattle, Melinda and Louis Whisler practice the dying art of custom shoemaking. Customers with foot problems and special requests come to them for shoes made to order. Then there are the customers who are just willing to pay the premium to have their feet shod in custom footwear. The Whislers do it all by hand, with the help of an Italian sewing machine and other tools of the trade. Prices start at $345 and go way up from there.