Shoes and shoes.

I have trouble finding comfortable shoes that fit the the widest part, right where the bones of the toes start. Shoes feel fine in the store, but when I start wearing them my feet feel progressively squeezed and painful throughout the day in that area, although the rest of the shoe fits fine. I have too many pairs of nice shoes, of all materials, to throw away. Would a shoemaker be able to do something to stretch them out at that one area?