The Landis sole stitcher. Paul Goldfinger photograph. January 2020. © Click to enlarge
José Santiago is an Italian-trained cobbler from Ft. Myers, Florida.
He bought this old Landis “stitcher” years ago, and it still functions. The Landis Shoe Repair Machinery Company, St. Louis, Missouri, was founded in 1895 and supplies shoe repair equipment all over the world. His machine was manufactured in the 1930’s.
Some countries do not have the disposable culture that we have, but in Southwest Florida, José has plenty of work. His specialty is orthopedic footwear.
He calls himself a “cobbler,” but his small shop offers a different message, writ large on a sign out front, “SHOE REPAIR.”
KEVIN KLINE with a Cole Porter song from the movie De-Lovely. Do you suppose she’s so easy to love….because of her shoes?
When my Grandfather came from Italy, he opened a shoemaker’s shop in New York City.
My father used to help him repair and make shoes.
I loved to visit there as a child.
If I close my eyes I can still smell the leather, shoe polish and rubber. And hear the whirr of the machinery.
I used to sit in those little booths set up for customers who were waiting for a shoe shine or a shoe repair.
It was a wonderful craft.
Are there any shoe repair shops left?