There’s an old saying that if you take care of your shoes, they will take care of you. For those who don’t have the time to take care of their shoes on their own, there’s a business in our midst that has been “saving soles” for 25 years, and the current owners are celebrating 8 years in business on Monday.
It’s true, shoe repair is alive and well in the community of Michigan’s Great Southwest. Though many believe the old-fashioned cobbler has gone by the way-side, that is not the case. Gagliardo Shoe Repair is still working the business and the timeliness of their 8th anniversary beautifully coincides next week with the observation from October 7th-to-12th as National Shoe Repair Awareness Week.
In a dual celebration of Gagliardo Shoe Repair’s owners Cassandra Lopez and Lisa Hubbs will celebrate their 8th year shop anniversary next Monday. Additionally, the shoe repair industry has come up with a fun way to support October Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and you can even customize your high heels and soles by “repairing with pink” and help raise money for the local foundation.
Theirs is the only shoe repair shop in the greater Southwest Michigan area, and they do most kinds of leather and canvas repairs beyond just shoes, including the repairing of jackets, purses, belts, boots, Birkenstocks, shoe stretching, and so on, as well as getting them ready for weatherproofing, cleaning, and shines. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, they sell virtually all the various foot care and leather & canvas products for you to DIY, and even carry a made-to-order men’s dress shoe line that is repairable.
Cassandra and Lisa say, “What this means for you is that it is time to go ‘shopping in your own closet,’ especially as the fall and winter season are approaching and get those fun summer items cleaned up and repaired before you put them away until next year. And for those of you businessmen that are ready to treat yourself to the most comfortable dress shoes ever, please come in and get fitted for a style that works best for you.”
Gagliardo’s proprietors want you to know that more than 90-percent of adults are aware that shoes and boots can be repaired, but only 25-percent regularly care for their shoes. Most adults own at least two or three pairs of shoes they don’t wear because they need repair.
Keeping your shoes repaired has a number of benefits:
- Your shoes will last longer. Shoe repair can extend the life of your favorite shoes. Quality, well-maintained men’s shoes can be resoled seven to 10 times at a fraction of the cost of new shoes. With new soles and heels, and reconditioned uppers, the shoes will look like new, yet retain that broken-in, comfortable feel. It is not uncommon for a man to get 30 years out of a good pair of shoes. Quality women’s shoes can be resoled three to five times.
- You will feel better. Shoe repair can also alleviate a variety of physical problems. Improper fit causes calluses, corns and bunions. Shoe repair shops offer stretching services and fitting aids to alleviate those problems. They can also add more space for toes or raise an instep. If your shoes are too loose, you can pick up heel grips, tongue pads and insoles to create a better fit.
- You will save money. Your neighborhood shoe repair professional can save you money by keeping your quality footwear in use for a fraction of the cost of new shoes.
- You will help the environment. Finally, shoe repair is among the oldest forms of recycling. Each year, the shoe repair industry keeps some 62 million pairs of shoes out of landfills and on consumers’ feet.
Cassandra worked in home improvement for twenty years, and prior to that was a certified Schwinn bike mechanic when she was still in high school, where she used to race BMX bikes. She is the “Macgyver” of the family—she has always been very good at fixing things, and really enjoys helping people.
She apprenticed with Michael Gagliardo before he retired, and she took over ownership in October of 2011. She picked up on the trade very quickly with her mechanical and problem solving skills, because they get all kinds of repairs, not just shoes.
They also chronicled the family’s legacy to the area by remodeling the shop and have a wall of great old black and white photos of the various shoe repair shops that the Gagliardo family had owned over the decades. The Gagliardo’s have been very supportive and love that the new owners continue to honor their family tradition and history.
You’ll find Gagliardo Shoe Repair in the same location they’ve been for the past 25 years at 810 Highland Avenue, the small side street behind the Dunkin Donuts off of Niles Avenue in St. Joseph. They have extended their hours to Monday through Friday from 9am – 6pm so that you can easily drop off/pick up before or after work.
You can visit online at www.michiganshoerepair.com for more information.
Cassandra combines old world techniques with new materials and solutions, and carries on the tradition of using only the best Italian leather and products. They repair most kinds of shoes, including work and cowboy boots, sandals, dress and casual shoes, purses, belts, horse and golf-related items.
They also perform shoe shines, shoe stretching, reconditioning, and weatherproofing. They recently became an approved vendor for repairing the State of Michigan Police Department boots and are also an authorized repair center for Birkenstocks. In addition, they are active members of the Shoe Service Institute of America, a 115-year old shoe repair industry association.
More than just repair, Gagliardo also sells a wide range of shoe care products; including shoe/boot /glove laces, cedar shoe trees, shoe creams/polishes, Neatsfoot/Mink oil/Saddlesoap, weatherproofing supplies, and Tingley rain overshoes. They also carry doctor-recommended foot care products such as Pedifix and Spenco insole supports. You can even get fitted for made-to-order men’s (repairable) dress shoe line.
