Farmington Shoe Repairs steps with the times

When Andrew Konjarvich was growing up, finding someone to repair a pair of shoes wasn’t difficult.

Shoe repair shops were a common sight, he recalls. His grandfather was a shoemaker with a shop in Detroit, and his father, Andrew Konjarvich Sr., followed him into the trade before opening Farmington Shoe Repairs in 1958.

“There used to be one on every corner,” Andrew says. “It used to be like a CVS.” Nearly seven decades later, the landscape looks much different.

“There aren’t too many of us left,” he says. “They’re all retiring and closing up shop. Now we’re few and far between.”

Farmington Shoe Repairs is now the only shoe repair shop in Farmington, Andrew says. The family business has lasted by changing with its customers.

Andrew, 61, and his brother, Dave, 65, grew up in the business, coming to the shop after school and learning the trade from their father. Andrew started working there when he was about 12 and stayed after graduating from high school.

“I haven’t done anything else, so it’s always just been this,” he says.

Dave is now retired but still comes in one day a week to help his brother.

Adapting to new fashion

The shoes Andrew repairs today are much different from those his father and grandfather worked on. Dress shoes with leather soles are less common as people choose more casual styles.

At the same time, casual doesn’t necessarily mean inexpensive. Andrew sees high-end sneakers come through his shop, including pairs that can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Soles can separate when shoes sit unworn for long periods and the glue dries out, requiring him to take them apart and reglue them.

“You just have to adapt,” Andrew says. “You have to adapt to what’s coming out there, and you have to learn how to fix it.”

Business also changes with the seasons. Summers tend to be slower as customers travel, while fall brings an uptick as children return to school and customers bring in more boots.

Farmington Shoe Repairs is open Wednesday through Saturday, but Andrew says he works seven days a week, using days the shop is closed to catch up on paperwork and other tasks.

“The doors just don’t open. That’s all,” he says.

Andrew supports the community by advertising with local high schools and his church.

Farmington Shoe Repairs has been a Michigan Retailers Association member since 1995 and uses MRA’s group insurance services.

“Any time I call with questions, they’re right there answering my questions or calling me back,” Andrew says.

The shoes may have changed, but Andrew still finds satisfaction in the work itself.

“I like working with my hands,” he says. “You take something that’s not right and make it new again. That’s great.”

After decades in the shop, Andrew says the time he spent working with his father means the most to him.

“Now that he’s gone, I feel blessed that I was able to work with him and have him be the teacher, showing me how to do things,” Andrew says.