KUCHING: The shoe repair industry has been greatly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and a well-known second-generation cobbler shop here is not spared.
Leo-cobbler, established in 1994, believed to be the only shoe and bag repair store located at Jalan Ang Cheng Ho here has experienced a 50 percent drop in sales since the pandemic struck.
Its owner Douglas Leong, 39, who continued the family’s shoe repair business after his 74-year-old father, Leong Thian Hin, retired eight years ago, said that business during the pandemic, was very challenging.
“Before Covid-19, we would generate an income of between RM10,000 to RM20,000 a month, minus our expenses, we would still make a profit of RM5,000 or more a month,” he told New Sarawak Tribune on Saturday (March 13).
He shared that besides shoes, the shop would also receive bags and luggage for repair, but this was before the pandemic.
“We received zero luggage for repair last year as travelling outside the state was not allowed, thus causing a drop in our sales,” he said.
He said now that inter-district travel is allowed, the shop has started to receive more luggage for repair.
“We are slowly starting to get busy now and, in a day, we would receive an average of 10 to 12 shoes for repair,” he said.
Douglas does all the repairing — shoes, bags, and luggage, while his wife, Janet Hee would assist in repairing bags, and the shop has another staff who specialises in shoe-repairing only.
“There are still many shoes waiting to be repaired as we do not have enough staff at the moment. As the business is starting to pick up again, we will look into hiring more staff.
“However, hiring a shoe repairer is not that easy now as many do not want to take up this kind of job,” he said.
On whether the shoe repair industry can survive in the next few decades, Douglas said that people would still need a cobbler to repair their shoes or bags.
“There is a difference between a cobbler shop and a shop selling shoes. People will still go to the cobbler to get their shoes or bags repaired especially when the owners feel there is a sentimental value to it.
“Even those buying from bundle shops, especially when it involves branded items, will still need to send it to a cobbler to get it fixed,” he said.
To keep his business afloat, Douglas said he and his wife continue to learn and improve their workmanship.
“So here at the shop, 50 percent of the repairs are done by hand, and the rest we use machines such as sewing machine, shoe press machine, and grinding machine,” he said.
