Mel’s Shoe Repair
Mel’s Shoe Repair
262 West 72nd StreetNew York, NY 10023
212 877 3517
M-F 7am-6pm; Sa 7am-5pm
Two members of the Manhattan Sideways Team, Tom and Olivia, both commented on the nostalgic smell of shoe polish and leather that met them as they stepped into Riverside Shoe Repair. It is a comforting smell that has been around for centuries, and defines the best shoe repair shops. We had the privilege of talking with George, who recently took over the business after his brother retired and moved back to Colombia, where they are from originally. George explained that in Colombia, his father made shoes by hand, but that they do not have the necessary tools here in the United States to be able to do so.
George’s father opened Riverside Shoe Repair in 1969. It has always been on 72nd Street, and George remembers working in the store from a young age. Until recently, he had his own store in Orlando, Florida, but came back north to take over from his brother. When I asked him if he was excited about experiencing New York winters again, he said, “That’s why I moved to Florida!”
I was interested to learn that Beatrice Barbieri – who owned the iconic Louis Shoe Rebuilders, until is was forced to close to make way for brand new shops inside the Empire State Building – technically owns Riverside Shoes, and that George worked in her shop on 34th Street before moving to Florida. It is comforting to know that the New York shoe repair world is a small, tight-knit family, and that this particular shop on 72nd is determined to withstand the test of time, change and increasing rent.