Cobble Cobble!
Does anyone still visit a cobbler? Excuse me, a shoe repairman?
I have these great Joan & David square-toe loafers I bought at the Outlet in Petaluma, CA years ago. (Marked down to $80.00 for $120.00 shoes. That’s $10.00 a year for the last 8 years!) They need some tender love, but I can’t for the life of me, find a good cobbler anywhere in Northern Virginia.
For $15.00-$30.00 bucks you can repair your shoes to the point where they look and feel new, but without the blisters all over your feet from breaking them in. I know that pointy toes are all the fashion rage, but I really don’t care what people in the office think about these shoes. They’re so damned comfortable I don’t want to trash them just yet.
That’s my frugal tip of the day. Take your shoes to the cobbler for some TLC.
Bri wrote:
Go to Nordstrom. They usually have a good shoe repair person on contract. In my town, he picks up shoes once a week and returns them the next week. I’ve always had good results from him.
Posted on 29-Mar-06 at 9:36 am | Permalink
Dan wrote:
I do!!!
I find Cole-Haan shoes will last a lot longer then Dept. store shoes for work. (I wear a suit everyday.) I go to the cole-haan outlet and get a pair for $100-$120. Then after 18 months of heavy use, I get the sole replaced for $20-25. So at the max, I spent $145 for 3 solid years of use. Instead of $65 for maybe a year of use for a dept. store brand.
Posted on 29-Mar-06 at 9:51 am | Permalink
mapgirl wrote:
Hi Bri! Thanks for the tip. I will definitely check out Nordstrom’s. But I admit I’m wary of going to into a department store with all of its temptations. Stuart Weitzmann shoes are much too pretty. I must stop and gawk like I’m at an art gallery.
Hi Dan! That’s the M.O. Buy fine shoes and repair them till they can’t be repaired anymore. I get Vibram replacements for the leather soles almost right away. My cousin gets taps, but I tend to skate across the ice in the driveway with taps on. (She lives where it’s not icy.)
Posted on 29-Mar-06 at 10:30 am | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
Despite their name, the Going Out Gurus at WaPo.com end up fielding a LOT of questions about tailors and such on their Thursday chat. You could try submitting a question there, or at least reading through their archives to see if someone else recommended a good place. And then, after your question is answered, you can mock them for spending $200 on a pair of jeans. Good times.
Posted on 29-Mar-06 at 11:01 am | Permalink
Amanda wrote:
I love my “cobbler” - you can usually find them anywhere that does leather repairs or polishes shoes. I always go to them because I wear out my heel-tips so frequently running around the city!
Posted on 29-Mar-06 at 3:18 pm | Permalink