Slow economy means more work for repair shops

Written by Aaron Kremer

Tuesday, 03 June 2008 10:58

Know a good cobbler?

Norvelle Taylor has more shoes to fix than time to do the work at his shoe repair shop on the corner of North Avenue and Brookland Park Blvd.

Partly that's because he can't find anyone to hire – cobblers (not the peach or apple variety) are few and far between these days, and kids have little interest in the craft, Taylor said. Partly that's because he lowered the price for his repairs and shoe shines, and an economist could probably show how that would increase demand. Then there's the fact that the neighborhood is getting safer, and customers are more willing to make a dedicated trip. But the greatest factor, by far Taylor said, is that people are trying to save money.

Taylor fixes shoes for $12. A shoe shine costs $4. Small change when you consider a new pair of shoes rarely costs less than $40, and nicer ones are closer to $100. Taylor also fixes pocket books and other leather goods.

"I used to get almost no soles in here (to repair), Taylor said. "Now I have five or six pairs a week."

"It's due to the recession. A lot of people are not buying shoes, and with gas going up, people gotta find another way to save."

Whenever spending habits change, some businesses benefit and others suffer. Many repair shops around Richmond say they're seeing more business as consumers try to reign in other spending to make up for the dollars they're pumping into gas tanks. Some shop owners say the increase is double or triple what they were doing a year ago.

Of course, they’re also paying higher costs for their supplies, in the case of shoe shine shops, that’s polish, soles and leather.

At Capital Repair Service, a small engine repair shop in the West End, Office Manager Tina McNammee says last spring the shop took in five mowers a day. This spring that figure is between 10 and 15 a day. It's more work than the shop can handle.

Robert Dolan, the head of the economics department at University of Richmond, said that if gas hits $4 a gallon, consumers will ratchet back spending because of the psychological factor.

"People don't stop driving to work. The greater issue, what do people do with their income once they've earned it," Dolan said.

That could mean consumers start to see repair shops as a new way to save or to postpone from making major purchases until the gas prices drop or salaries rise.

But while some repair shops are seeing increased business, others say that consumers are in the habit of buying flimsy goods destined for the landfill. Many younger consumers don't think to get them repaired. In some cases, repair isn't cost effective. (This is often the case with certain electronics).

The price for lawn mowers has been dropping for a decade, said Eddie Moore, owner of B&E Small Engine repair in Highland Springs. Moore said he's busier than last year, but only because so many new residents have moved into the area.

Moore predicts that lawn mowers will be flying off the shelves at department stores despite a recession.

"If a mower blows up, sometimes it's not feasible to fix it. They are some of the cheapest things value wise," Moore said.

A new push mower can cost as little as $120. The average repair bill for a push mower is around $60, Moore said - obviously still a considerable savings but perhaps not enough to change buying patterns.

Of course, not every repair shop is doing double or triple business. Connie Shoe Repair (on 8^th Street downtown), is seeing less. Sales have been sluggish for the last two years and don't seem to be improving, according to the shop's owner Nathan Elkin.

"People are afraid to spend money, they're talking about gas, food and medical costs," Elkin said.

"People are cost conscious; they talk about literally getting beaten up on price."

Elkin, who's worked at the shop for 43 years, said business is off because downtown isn't as vibrant as years past. And even his regular customers keep reminding him of how cheap shoe shines used to be.

"They remember when men's heels were $3.50 a pair. Now new soles and bottoms cost $21."