My wife and I were driving past a familiar plaza and we noticed that the shoe repair shop was no longer there. This set us wondering how shoe shops make it these days, and we recalled memories of the shoe repair shop I went to as a child.
Growing up, it seems we wore more traditional shoes with leather soles and uppers. I remember our Saturday afternoon ritual of polishing our shoes for church on Sunday. We had a can of Kiwi bootpolish, an old rag we used to apply the polish, and a soft rag to buff it off. I loved how the polish would cover all but the worst of scuffs and make the shoes shine! Of course, then I had to scrub the polish off my hands. And you had to make sure the lid was tight on the polish can or the polish would be all cracked and dry the next time you polished your shoes.
Like all things, those shoes wore out. The heels would wear down on one side. The soles would wear thin or even get a hole in them–no fun in the rain. Women would have the heel on high heels fall off. If you hadn’t grown out of the shoe and the uppers were still good, you took them to a shoe repair shop to get more life out of the shoe and stretch that working class budget.
We used to take our shoes to an old cobbler who had a shop on Steel Street, just north of Mahoning Avenue. The shop was old with all the machines (like the one above) and tools behind the counter. It smelled of shoe leather and polish. There wasn’t much light, maybe one hanging bulb. On shelves on the sides, you saw all kinds of shoes with claim tickets attached. I don’t remember the gentleman’s name and he seemed a man of few words. You gave him the shoes. He usually could see what needed to be done. He told you what it would cost, when they would be ready and filled out the claim ticket. and you were out the door. A few days later, you’d go back and have shoes almost as good as new. Sometimes, you’d get new soles and heels several times, if the shoe was well-made.
It’s been ages since I’ve had shoes repaired. Most of the time, it seems we just discard casual shoes when they wear out. I have a pair of dress shoes I rarely wear, probably 15 years old that I’ve never re-soled. I suspect this is true of many of us. It strikes me as I write that the old way of repairing shoes was often more thrifty and more earth-friendly, even though we didn’t talk about re-using and recycling in those days.
I’d love to hear your memories of going to shoe repair shops in Youngstown!
To read other posts in the Growing Up in Working Class Youngstown series, just click “On Youngstown.” Enjoy!
I still use my Dad’s old shoeshine box( holds polish, brushes, etc) He taught my brother and I the value of preserving the leather and showing up with shined shoes. There are still a few shops in Youngstown that I frequent to get dress shoes repaired with new soles and heels. I might have a few pairs that are 25 years old and going strong. Can still smell the leather and polish in the old west side shop you referenced. Anyone remember the owners name?
Yeah, I was racking my brain to recall his name. Searched for criss-cross directories from the ’60s but nothing online. Have to go to a local library.
John Torquati! The best. Hazelwood and mahoning
Lida
Thanks for the detail of John’s family name. That store was also our family’s shoe repair shop. I remember signs in the store stating they sold Buster Brown and Red Cross shoes. I can recall seeing John’s father working in the shop with him. As you said, the best.
We went to a shop on Rigby St. called Pat’s. I don’t know Pat’s full name, but I mostly remember the smell of leather and polish in the shop. I suppose they all smelled like that.
There was another shop on Elm Street and Benita. I remember going to it for repairs. I also remember that my grandfather had a cast iron shoe cobbler stand that had different sized molds for different sized feet. So, we’d sometimes try to fix our own shoes with replacement heels and soles that you could buy. Another thing that was popular was to buy those metal heel plates that were shaped like a crescent moon. You could hear the click of a guy walking that had those on their heels and they’d tear up certain types of floors. I think that they would have been more popular with certain cultures and social strata in our youth.
My family used Dick’s on Midlothain near Curry’s drug, I am sure your wife is very familiar with that place. He certainly knew his trade and yes the aromas were likable.
We always went to Mooney’s Shoe Store on Hillman St. We bought our shoes there and had them fixed.
We had our shoes repaired at Mooney’s Shoe Store on Hillman St. Also bought our shoes there. Mr. Mooney and his son Chuck were great people.
Go see John at John’s Boot & Shoe Repair in the plaza on Market Street at Wildwood. His dad had a shop on Mahoning at Hazelwood, where John learned and later ran it for years before relocating to Boardman. Stand up guy, top quality work!
My grandfather, Anthony DeFuria had a shop right behind my grandparent’s home. It was at the corner of Mahoning and Rhoda on the west side. He was such a peaceful man, just as my grandmother was. What fun it was for me, my brothers, and my cousins to walk out to his shop right from their back door! Such wonderful memories! I wonder if any of your readers remembers it?
My grandfather, Anthony DeFuria had a shop right behind my grandparent’s home. It was at the corner of Mahoning and Rhoda on the west side. He was such a peaceful man, just as my grandmother was. What fun it was for me, my brothers, and my cousins to walk out to his shop right from their back door! Such wonderful memories! I wonder if any of your readers remembers it?