InTucker Magazine

Business of the Month – Village Shoe Service

If you go through your wardrobe looking at the big dollar items, it’s tough to find something as expensive as a good pair of dress shoes.

“You have to invest in a well-made pair, so that can be pretty expensive,” says Tucker shoe repair professional Larry Schupbach, “but, in the long run, it’s so much better.”

Schupbach is the proprietor of Village Shoe Service, the shop on Railroad Avenue where he has resoled Tucker’s shoes for more than a decade. An award-winning cobbler, Schupbach started working with shoes in the late 1980s.

“I can save you money,” he declares. “I can use better materials than what the factory uses, a lot better materials. I could modify a shoe to fit better…make them more comfortable. If you buy a really nice pair of shoes and resole them every couple years, they can last 20 to 30 years.”

While a new pair of dress shoes can cost in excess of a few hundred dollars, Schupbach is able to give his customers’ footwear extra life for just a fraction of the price. And cost savings isn’t the only benefit.

“The SSIA (Shoe Service Institute of America) have a slogan, ‘if the shoe fits, repair it,’” Schupbach explains. “Comfort is the most important thing, especially if you have foot problems. When the leather molds to your feet, you definitely don’t want to get rid of them.”

Schupbach, who has long lived in the Tucker area, says one of the best parts of owning his own business is getting to choose the community in which he works.

“I have always liked downtown Tucker and the community,” he explains. “I like the people and it’s just a charming little nice small town, still in the city, but a nice little hometown area.

“I pride myself on my craftsmanship. Most everyone loves the service that I give them. They say I’m the best. I try to be the best.”

You can visit Schupbach in person at his shop at 4286 Railroad Avenue or online at www.villageshoeservice.com.