Old-school shoe repair in a throw away society | Made to Last

Alf Zumpano owns one of three shoe repair shops serving a city of 240,000 people. He's amazed that more people don't buy footwear that's made to last, especially as environmental concerns grow.

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[CelticDruidess]

We totally need people like him! I can't say enough how much I miss quality!

[evanchapmanfanman]

Its great to see folks like this guy, it’s such a lost art to repair things, too much is wasted and therefore depletes resources. I personally repair vintage/antique appliances because their quality is superb and those machines will likely outlive me if given care. Folks like him are great resources and there are many like him in the community and around the country, learn what you can because people who know this information won’t be around forever.

[Romans.]

Thos was really good - I could have watched more. I'm 63. I can remember getting my shoes resoled as a child. We have become a throw away world. I can remember getting new shoes at Sweezys Dept store and you could get the option of having metal taps put on. I think I remember I got that a lot. This was a fun memory. Thank you.

[weareorigin]

Bought $30 chairs from Walmart. They lasted 6 months before falling apart. Throw away society :(

[RoyalCaymanian]

Good man! I still have shoes from 30plus years ago. Always try to repair them or alter them if even to use as old work shoes.

[TheMangeGrain]

In 2020, I bought nice leather shoes, from a spanish brand. At about 150 € that was a rather expensive upgrade from my usual shoes. They were gorgeous, extremely comfortable, I loved them. Only 2 years later they were in the trashcan : they had glued-on soles ; they first started squeaking, comfort and stability vanished, leather cracked on the sides and that was their demise. My local cobbler could do nothing to fix them, and I'm sure he gave me "the look" when he saw what kind of junk I was wearing. And yet, because of COVID and home-office, I used them so much less than my previous cheap shoes... Now I pay attention to quality and I buy only good quality stitched shoes. I watch leather quality, stitch style and quality. And I buy some of my shoes (dress uniform shoes) from military surplus : they're extremely affordable, high quality, comfortable when you get to choose the correct size for you (that was not an option back then in the military) and my local cobbler loves resoling them.

[HanpingXu]

So joyful to watch this respectable craftsman. Since when we started to be so consuming? ‘90s?

[moonstarer]

As a boy, my mum would send me to collect repaired shoes about a mile away, so I’d walk there to see Geordie Arthur the cobbler. That was in the 60’s and I’d sit and watch him finish off the shoes. It was fascinating to watch. Nobody thought anything of getting shoes repaired. The throw away society all but killed them off. I watch shoes, boots, bags and belts being repaired on YouTube.
I ordered a decent pair of welted shoes with leather soles. Keep on repairing the shoes etc

[danieljames]

Just got my Red Wing boots resoled and cleaned up for 80 bucks and they're looking nice!

[sherry]

He is wonderful! I live in Calgary and it is so hard to find a shop like his, with that level of quality

[anthonycalleja]

Everything is rubbish these days
We need people like him ..

[totukimou]

In our family, we used to repair our shoes, now we can't, we have to find in the internet a cobbler!
This is art! people choose quantity over quality!

[darthvader]

The problem with shoes today is that they are not using leather in it's original thickness, for many leather manufacturers they pass a naturally thick layer of leather through a splitting machine in order to get several leather sheets from one thick leather sheet WHICH WEAKENS THE LEATHER.

[GT_Racer]

We definitely need more people like him!

[Sam]

They have a Cobbler in Bridlewood Mall(Warden/Finch) in Scarborough next to the BMO branch inside. Dude has been there since before I was born I think he does pretty good work from my personal experience. I assume he must have a lot of repeat customers because mall rents even in Scarborough are quite high combined with high Ontario hydro rates and high Toronto Commercial Property Taxes.

[ralexlu]

One day we will go full circle. These resources won't last forever.

[chrisfournier]

“Insisting on quality…” it all starts right here.

I recently repaired a shoe making machine from 1922. As good as when it was new. Now that’s quality!

[botsman]

My grandfather was great shoemaker, I remember his lessons 60 years later. I also love D ( Dinamo) pin on your apron!

[MrShoeReviews]

Nice technique shown here, always find these videos highly therapeutic.

[christianlipani]

Very very good video they should show video like that to kids in school because you are right those trade are part of what will help the planet to be healthier by repairing old good quality stuff including shoes❤👍🙏