Is the cobbler dead?

[Ceezer]

I was speaking the other day about having a pair of boots resoled and asked a few co-workers if they knew of a decent cobbler in the area. The actual response I got, along with blank stares and a few laughs, was, "A decent what?"...

I remember going into the cobber's shop all the time when I was growing up (I still remember how amazing the smells of leather and polish were) and I'm fairly certain he's still there today. Granted, I come from a small town, but these people didn't even know what a cobbler was. When I explained to them what it was they thought I was pulling their leg.

Even in the Corps we could drop our boots off to have them retread/resoled (I don't know if they did it on the spot or sent them off), though none of these folks are prior military so it has me wondering if there are still any others out there aside from our beloved hometown Cobbler John.

 

[galopede]

There are several decent cobblers within a few miles of my house here in Cheltenham. As I have several pairs of bench made shoes such as Church, Trickers etc, I know most of them!

Gareth

 

[RBE17]

I had some shoes re-soled a few years ago. Finding comfortable shoes for me is difficult so I just had ones I knew fit re-soled. Part of the problem is that many of the shoes cannot be re-soled because of how they are manufactured. So much of our society has bought into the disposable philosophy that it sickens me.

 

[Confuzius]

I've actually got 2 cobblers within a 15 minute drive from home.
I've also got a pair of shoed that need to be resoled, but since I grew out of my "swing phase" (Music and style, not, umm, lifestyle choice) several years ago I don't have many opportunities to wear two-tone spectators and not look rather out of place so it hasn't been very high on my list of priorities.

 

[rm71]

I have no trouble finding them in large shopping centres. How good they are is another matter.

 

[Holton181]

That sucks man. I can walk to my cobbler. And they have a full service shoe shine. They even clean Timberlands (ok, I live in the hood, alright?) I don't ever need that part- I can shine my own shoes, thank you- but I think it's awesome that it's there.

 

[Jim]

I am a little confused, do you want a recommendation for a full service cobbler or are you lamenting the loss of a class of craftsman?

 

[Prince]

My wife just took a pair of shoes to get the heals fixed. Not even a 1/2 mile from the casa.

 

[Robxcarlson]

Somewhere in the backwoods of south carolina there's a guy in a shack fixing shoes - you've just got to go find him.

There's one not far from my house in the run down section of down town. There was an article I read not long ago in a national publication which said that people were starting to rediscover shoe repair in the down economy because they couldn't afford to just throw their shoes away. I don't think that it's a dying profession, but it probably did go into hiding.

 

[tsmba]

I live in a town of 3500 souls and we have a shoe shop. I cannot imagine not having one. Getting a favorite pair of shoes resoled is SO much less expensive than replacing them. Shoe repairmen also offer many other services: repairing tents, purses, etc. I take my jeans for patching jobs that last.

 

[infotech]

I don't think they call themselves cobblers anymore. We have a Quick Shoe Repair store around here and I"m sure there are others. When I hear "cobbler" I think of Disney...

 

[Ceezer]

I am a little confused, do you want a recommendation for a full service cobbler or are you lamenting the loss of a class of craftsman?

When I was asking at work, the former. When I posted here, the latter.

 

[slcsteve]

Peach Cobbler - yum!

 

[Obsessed]

As someone said, look for "shoe repair," not "cobbler." They're still around.

 

[ClubmanRob]

My experience with cobblers wasn't ever that stunning... seems like I could have picked up a new pair of boots for what they charge to do retreads now.

 

[mmack66]

I know what the OP is going through. The other day I was asking around about a reputable cooper and got nothing but blank stares.

 

[infotech]

I know what the OP is going through. The other day I was asking around about a reputable cooper and got nothing but blank stares.

The 19th century is loong gone

 

[uberlegit]

The other day I was asking around about a reputable cooper and got nothing but blank stares.

But whom else would I commission a container from to store my salted cod?

 

[knlgskr]

Peach Cobbler - yum!

Is that the Archibald Leach aka Cary Grant?

 

[slcsteve]

Is that the Archibald Leach aka Cary Grant?

That is correct. Archibald Alexander Leach,