Fixing Footwear
A Florida cobbler repairs worn soles and broken heels The Sharp End: Cobblers to the gentry
In a day's shift at a Chelsea shoe-repair shop, Dave Waller discovers his sole. The story is that shoe repair is a goldmine in a recession. Broken in, but not worn out
Richard Purpora began working at the shop when he was only 14 years old, under the tutelage of his uncle, Frank. Richard agreed to take over the family business in 2007. Ukrainian cobbler finds destiny in shoe repair
Alex Marshtein opened Alex's Shoe and Repairs in 1985 in Charleston but moved to Mount Pleasant two years ago for cheaper rent and better parking. Snapshot: Shoe repair is all in the family for Raymond Torcaso
Raymond Torcaso , 51, is a seventh-generation shoe repairman and has been practicing the trade in Kenosha for 40 years.
