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Economy Has Upside For Cobblers

Posted Dec 3, 2008 by Jennifer Leigh

Updated Dec 3, 2008 at 04:42 PM

As the economy continues to struggle, one industry is benefiting from the need to pinch pennies. Cobblers are enjoying increased business as consumers turn to fixing what’s broken rather than buying something new.

Jim McFarland is a third-generation shoe repairman in Lakeland.  He says his business is up 20 percent for the year, and in the past three weeks he’s seen a spike of nearly 50 percent in volume.

McFarland thinks it’s a simple matter of dollars and cents for his customers. “Instead of going out and buying a new pair of shoes, they’re going to bring them in and get them repaired because they’re going to save. If they’ve paid $100 or $200 or more for shoes, you’re going to save a lot of money,” McFarland says.

The story is the same across the country.  In Vermont, one cobbler says he’s so busy customers have to wait four weeks instead of the typical 10 days to get a pair of shoes back.  In Washington and St. Louis, shoe repair businesses are hiring workers to help with the increase in business. 

Jim McFarland expects his business will continue to thrive as long as the economy is struggling, but he’s hopeful once the country’s financial situation turns around he’ll have an entirely new set of faithful customers.  “After all this is over, the consumer and the younger generations learn something from this. Hey, we’re here. Use us,” McFarland says.