We’re just about to put away or toss away our winter boots and shoes and take a good look at our summer ones. Some of them are worn out, but there may not be money to buy new ones to replace them, what can we do? In these economic times we have to remember to reuse, repair or re-cycle. In our throwaway society we have forgotten about the neighborhood shoe repairmen – and all the others repairmen as well. If you are too lazy to polish and winterize those boots and shoes, they can do that for you – and fix heels and the soles. But they can do so much more

You can add zippers to boots to make them easier to get on and off, you can have elastic put in them or leather ankle supports, or get them tightened or stretched to fit better. For the nicer weather gear, they can even fix heels and soles on rock climbing, hiking boots and sport shoes or fix Rockport soles.

Shoe repairmen can even cut down high heels that are too high and fill prescriptions for orthopedic adjustments. Carinthia can rebuild hiking boots and clean Uggs . These guys with their golden hands can fix luggage and dye shoes, some can repair tears in leather jackets or Cordonnerie Argentino can even fix hockey or baseball equipment including getting eyelets reinforced and gloves re-conditioned or re-palmed, and even sharpen skates.

Carinthia Shoe Company, 1228 St-Marc at Ste Catherine St.
Tel: 514-935-8475
Hours: Tues, Wed & Fri 7-6, Thurs 7-8
Cordonnerie Benny,  6560 Sherbrooke ouest at Boul Cavendish
Tel: 514-481-6179
Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30-6, Sat 10-5
Other location: Kirkland, 2985 boul. St-Charles Blvd. (514-694-8626).
Cordonnerie Argentino, 5027 rue Wellington at at 5th, Verdun
Tel: 514-769-1377
Hours: Mon-Wed 8-6, Thurs & Fri 8-7, Sat 8-5