A Case for the Cobbler: Just Fix It
“How do you know you need something? You already have it.”
Most of my stuff is old. I like old stuff. Things that acquire stories and character. But just because something is old, doesn’t mean it’s in bad shape. With proper maintenance and care, you can really add significant lifespan to anything. Look at Land Rovers as an example. And I don’t think enough people do this. Their shoes get worn out, so they throw them out and buy a new pair. A sweater gets a hole and it’s given to good will. When people do stuff like that, it makes me think they didn’t make the right purchase. Either it was really cheap quality and they don’t care, or they don’t really like it and don’t care.
Taking your clothes to be repaired, especially locally, does good things. In doing so, you'll be:
- Generating less waste
- Consuming less
- Saving money
- Keeping money local
Let me break it down for you.
So let’s say my loafers were $700. They’re the Gucci 1953 Horsebit. They've got miles. I've walked to Harvard Sq. and back several times. Brighton and back more than once. They've been very good to me. They always look good. And I spend $65 every 2.5 years on maintenance. A new sole and intermittent polishings. As long as I take care of them, I assume they’ll last 30 years. So at the end of the 30 years, I spent $700 on shoes and $780 on maintenance, for a total of $1480.00. That averages out to less than $50 a year. Not bad right? As opposed to buying a new pair of $250 loafers every 2.5 years for 30 years, which will run you more than twice as much, $3,000.
I take my shoes to Newbury Shoe Repair, odd side between E and F. They give you the option of leather or rubber sole. I made the mistake of not specifying. I assumed that because I brought my shoes in with leather soles, they’d come out with leather soles. Now I know. I had him put rubber on a pair of velvet slippers, and he used Good Year rubber. Not here.
