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Maintenance: Fifth Avenue Shoe Repairers, London

Sunday 4 September 2011

 

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Do you know what I class as a good day? It’s one where I discover a gem amongst a sea of dross. It lifts the spirit and restores one’s faith in the world. The discovery of 5th Avenue Shoe Repairers on London's Goodge Street did just that.

Finding a proper, competent cobbler has become the bain of my life in recent times –as has finding a decent drycleaner, a quest that continues. I should probably also explain for those not up on their terminology, a shoemaker is a ‘cordwainer’ while a shoe repairer is a ‘cobbler’.

I knew I was on the right track as soon as I saw the outside of the shop. Not some grotty little kiosk in a train station or one of those dry cleaners come key cutters, come shoe repairers come engravers –jack of all trades master of none.
 

From the outstanding array of quality footwear for retail to the deeply impressive stock of polishes, laces and accessories, 5th Avenue Repairers is dedicated to fine shoes and their maintenance in all forms. Able to offer a complete range of repairs to even the highest grade shoes, as well as bags and leather coats, I realised from the get-go I'd discovered a gem. They charged me £45 for a resoling using oak bark tanned leather soles –about the best, most hard wearing leather there is.  
 
Holding a beautiful pair of Cheaney Double Monks
 
Established in 1936, 5th Avenue Shoe Repairers is a family run business handed down from father to son for three generations –all music to my ears. Currently operated by Abdul (the gentleman above) and his brother, it was his grandfather that started the business in London having previously made shoes on 5th Avenue New York. When he moved to London he adopted that name for his new business. The family continued to make shoes as well as repair them until demand for such footwear suffered something of a downturn in the late sixties and early seventies. 
 
 
Today 5th Avenue does all manner of repairs, right down to the covered seams on the highest grade shoes, work Abdul does himself by hand. I wouldn’t normally write about a place like this until I’d got my shoes back. But the fine collection of shoes and boots including high grade Cheaney ranges, Church’s, RM Williams, Loake and the more unusual offerings like Paraboot, makes it worth a mention regardless. Just walking into this neat business-like establishment and talking to Abdul I had every confidence that these people knew exactly what they were doing. That said, I will of course give you an update on the repairs next week.
 
 
In the recent past I’ve had shoes ruined by so called cobblers that were really no better than butchers. The last of these was Timpsons, who managed to scratch the leather and happily charged £70 for the privilege! Shoe repair is a craft requiring great skill, you should only entrust your footwear to those who treat it as such.

For years I’ve searched for a proper shoe repairer. Happy days.
Update 11/09/2011: I got the shoes back. Just as I'd hoped they did a great job. I won't be going anywhere else from now on.

 
 
5th Avenue Shoe Repairers
41 Goodge Street
London
W1T 2PY 
 http://fifthavenueshoerepairs.com/#
 
 

Posted by Stealth

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