Ike Fredregill
The proliferation of solitary-use items all through the customer planet would make remaining a shoe repairman tough. Throw a pandemic into the combine, and the shoe repairman may possibly just will need to rely on his personal function boots rather than correcting others, stated Joel Fischer, the Glenwood Shoe Support co-operator.
“COVID-19 was the last nail in the coffin,” Fischer told a buyer Wednesday as she stopped by to pick up a fixed belt. “For a yr, everyone was dressing from the waistline up.”
Prior to the pandemic, Fischer and his wife, Cindy, stored the shop open up Tuesdays via Fridays. But business enterprise waned all through the pandemic, and it has nonetheless to pick back up, Fischer mentioned.
These days, Fischer mans the store by itself, which is at this time open Tuesdays and Wednesdays, as his spouse operates an additional job.
“Since the pandemic started — so for extra than a year now — the organization has just manufactured more than enough dollars to spend its very own payments,” he mentioned. “So we essentially get the job done for free. It makes it tough to continue to keep your enthusiasm up.”
If something does not modify shortly, Fischer reported he may have to close the Glenwood place and operate the business enterprise from the couple’s property in Rifle.
“I’d like to be performing below 40-additionally hours a week, but suitable now, I can only pay for about 20 to 30 hours, so I have time for my other position,” Fischer reported, describing he also is effective on ranches and farms in the valley.
For many, shoes are worn until eventually they are replaced with very little imagined of fixing the typically low-cost components. The bulk of Fischer’s buyers are men and women who buy high-close footwear and develop an attachment, creating the cost of repairs really worth the expenditure, he mentioned. Typically, individuals buyers are next-residence owners or effectively-to-do site visitors, Fischer spelled out.
As municipalities all through the valley adopted guidelines in 2020 discouraging visits from individuals without full-time residency, Fischer stated his company skilled a major decline in clients. When lots of area tourism-dependent enterprises experienced a robust return to a thing resembling regular in the to start with 50 % of 2021, Fischer said he and his wife are however waiting for a resurgence of shoppers.
“Our active period ranges from September to March, so we’re hoping enterprise bounces back again soon,” he claimed.
Though finding up a not too long ago repaired pair of large heels, another purchaser stated a current article on the Fb Group “Roaring Fork Swap” calling on locals to assistance help you save the shop.
“You’d assume with all these shoppers coming in, I’d be capable to continue to be open up,” Fischer explained with a exhausted smile as he ripped the heel cap off a cowboy boot. “But this is just a trickle. Prior to everything, we experienced customers lined up out the door.”
Shoddy fix components from earlier properly-regarded companies, these types of as Vibram, also dig into the Fischer’s base line.
“It does not issue how excellent I am if the components I have to get the job done with are garbage,” Fischer explained.
Extra and far more, firms find to boost earnings by outsourcing their products to nations around the world with decrease labor requirements, and quality management goes by the wayside.
With the raising amount of hurdles to remaining in organization, Fischer said his long run might guide him down yet another path.
“I have no thought what I’ll do future,” Fischer explained.
But he’s not prepared to give up the function but. If the company is forced to near, Fischer reported his companies will nonetheless be readily available via on the net ordering and shipping and delivery at GlenwoodShoeService.com.
Glenwood Shoe Services, 3001 S. Grand Ave., is at present open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays nonetheless, individuals several hours could change in the coming months. To stay up to date with the latest hrs and shoe repair service information, Fischer reported men and women could observe the business’ Facebook website page.
Reporter Ike Fredregill can be arrived at at 970-384-9154 or by electronic mail at [email protected].