Like new after a visit to Ike’s.
I say there is no reason to give up on a favorite pair of shoes. Throw-away society be damned … that’s why we have shoe repair shops.
My beloved pair of plum suede Clarks were looking a little shabby after five years of wear. There was a stain thanks to a splatter mishap (note: if you’re sporting suede shoes, don’t offer to help in the kitchen) and a hole was just starting to appear at the tip due to a pointy pair of shoetrees. Otherwise there were more miles to clock on the soles and inside was soft and comfy like new. I hoped that a skilled shoe repairman could perhaps patch the tiny hole and dye the suede a darker color.
Clarks in hand I walked over to my local (and new to me) shoe repair shop, Ike’s. Although not an overly friendly fella, Ike (I assume that’s his name) knows his business and suggested instead of dying he would clean and brush the suede. That was good news as I really am in love with this plum color.
A week later I picked up my Clarks and was pleased by the fine job Ike did. The shoes were nice and clean but still their lovely original color. The stain was gone and the little hole? What little hole? Ike patched it on the inside and I don’t feel a thing.
It cost $18. Well worth the price to save a perfectly good pair of shoes not to mention space in the landfill.
Take a little tip from me – check out your local shoe repair shop.
OverDressed for Life 
LOVE IKE’S.! REALLY GOOD WORKMANSHIP, AND HE WILL TELL YOU IF HE FEELS HE CANNOT DO THE WORK YOU WISH DONE….sometimes expensive, but the trust I have in him ….keeps me coming back! Jacquelyn Goudeau, Alameda, Ca
Jacquelyn, is there an Ike’s in Alameda?
I completely agree! I have a favorite guy I go to at 34th and International in Oakland. He even painted bags for me and is creative in his repairs when everyone else just says “oh, i cant do it.”. BTW- there is no name to the shop – just says “shoe repair.”
As you know, this is my heritage. My grandfather had a shoe repair shop. Originally, in Italy, he was a shoe MAKER, but even in Italy those small-shop artisans are rare.
These days only very expensive shoes are made in Italy. Anything in the $100 to $300 range are now made in China. Same thing with handbags.