A Good Shoe Repair Man

(My black Nine West boots. Bummer!)

Bless the soles of my winter shoes. Bless the soles of all my shoes, for that matter. As it turns out, this concrete jungle does a number on my boots, flip flops, and sneakers... 

It would be ridiculous to go out and buy a new pair of boots (when a good pair runs around $100), so I've become rather friendly with my shoe repair man. He's a little rough around the edges. So, I walk in with a smile, say please and thank you. He seems to appreciate my sincerity, as he does a fantastic job repairing my shoes. Although I had to barter a bit... I got the man down to $20 for two heel replacements, two sole replacements, and a shoe shine. He seemed to buckle under pressure when I mentioned the reasonable price I payed for a shoe repair in Phoenix... I won't lie, it was odd to discuss the price of a standard service. Is this a New York thing? I figured there might be a sign on the wall listing the standard price for different repair options. Maybe not? 

It seems I've developed some great professional relationships with my neighborhood's small business owners. These types of relationships are those that develop well over time. I walk in, say hello to "Charlie," and discuss my newest sole issue. And, I kind of love it. It's nice to hob-knob with the locals. And then I have to remind myself, I'm a local, too.