Perhaps nothing is closer to the hearts of New Yorkers than a great pair of shoes, so I wanted to tell you about my shoe repair guy.
First, a confession. I’m really (really) hard on my shoes. While I’m not a shoe tart, I generally buy quality brands because I’ve found they stand up better than do less expensive labels. Which is why I hate it when a good pair goes south.
So I was thrilled to find Javier Lopez, who has been repairing shoes for 40 years and works on the Upper East Side.
Javier has given a second (and third) life to shoes I loved but was about to ditch for one reason or another. Not only did he save me from losing several wardrobe staples, he has saved me from having to spend time looking for (and money buying) a replacement.
One pair of Taryn Rose flats that I’d gotten at Century 21 had stretched so much they were more like flip-flops. Instead of pretending that innersoles would take up the slack (as some cobblers have tried), Javier inserted a leather strap inside the heel to keep my foot in place. For $20, I saved a pair of $239 shoes. Though I only paid $70 for them, I knew I’d be lucky to find a suitable replacement for twice that.
For some killer patent leather slingbacks (that look great while standing at a cocktail party but aren’t so great for actually getting to the event), he swapped out the spindly little heels for some that are more substantial but sufficiently stylish. Cost: about $20.
Perhaps Javier’s artistry is best illustrated with a pair of $10 never-been-worn-before tall black suede Stuart Weitzman boots that came from Housing Works a few years back.
I love these boots almost as much as I love my kids.
Out they come at the first mildly not-hot breeze in September. So what if they were sized for a drag queen, they didn’t look that much like clown shoes. Still, after two years of tripping over the toe (and being told by various repairmen they couldn’t be made smaller), Javier chopped an inch off the toe and stitched the suede back in place. Better than new. True to his word, Javier made me love the boots even more.
He’s also patched, colored and repaired shoes that would’ve had other cobblers locking their doors. Perhaps the best thing, Javier remembers which client brought in which shoe so that you don’t always need your claim check. He will even deliver nearby.
While you may find a more economical cobbler, you won’t find a better one. And you’ll spend a lot of time (and may even sacrifice a pair of shoes) in trying.
Javier Lopez can be found at A+ Shoe Repair at 353 East 77th Street, just off 1st Avenue.
Hillary Chura is a reporter and New York Family’s Le$$er Parenting blogger. Follow her on Twitter @hillarychura for money-saving tips on parenting (and living) in NYC for less cash.
