[hammering sound]
- The sound of nailing and the scent of leather have filled
the air of this shop in Grafton over three generations.
- My grandfather built the business in 1946.
- Here's the "Now Open for Business."
The first of December 1946, he opened the door
for the first time.
[door squeaks]
- Arlene's father, Arthur started the business
which Arlene runs today with son James.
- My mother has been here since day one.
- I was raised upstairs.
Jim was working here since he was out of high school,
before he was out of high school.
- Earliest memories: Anything from sweeping,
which I still do some of that.
Grandfather taught me everything, basically hands-on.
I've always liked to work with my hands.
- Soon James would have a lot on his hands
when his grandfather was hospitalized.
- This is a little touchy area for me because he said,
"I'm scared."
Put his arm around me and I says, "That's okay, Dad.
"It'll be all right."
And he never did come home.
- Arthur's absence left a big hole back at the shoe store.
- And you don't, all of a sudden,
don't have that person there to ask.
So that was a big difference.
And Jim, of course, Jim was only 20...
22 when he took on the full load.
- When this opportunity came up for working back here,
it just kind of fell into place.
- He could have said, "No, I can't do this."
He could have told me that and I would have understood.
So we had to carry on.
- The cobbler skills James learned from his grandfather and
has mastered over the last 30 years are rare today.
- In today's society, it's probably considered
a throwaway society.
Nowadays, somebody might have 20 pairs of shoes.
Years ago, you probably had only one or two pair
that you wore all the time.
So the good ones, you know, they last and
people hang onto them as long as possible.
- Our customers have been very loyal.
We have very good customers.
And that would be the other thing.
If we didn't have them, we wouldn't be here.
- Absolutely.
- Loyal customers and alterations to shoes
for medical reasons have kept the repair side
of the business going.
- Many times it doesn't come out even.
They've had a hip replacement, a knee replacement so then
they've got to have something done with the shoe.
- James does the build-ups and repairs.
Mom Arlene manages the retail side.
Between my mother and I, it's kind of a joint effort
if you want to call it that.
We complement each other as far as working together.
- We don't do any of the high fashion.
We do comfort.
Comfort, fitting, service.
Service, big thing.
People do not realize that there's still places
that give 'em service, which we do.
- Yeah, I like those.
- What do you think? How's that feel?
Stand up and walk around a little bit.
When we put a shoe, they look as us kind of strange and say,
"I haven't had anybody put a shoe on my foot in a long time."
- Okay, off to your next stop.
- Okay, thank you.
- Take care.
Word of mouth is probably the best advertising.
And I guess being here for 70 years probably
has a lot to do with it, with word of mouth.
- And if you treat your customers right,
you're going to get good words.
If you don't, they're not going to be good words.
- All right, then you can just sign this one.
- Good words for good work.
Work started 70 years ago and carried on today
by mother and son.
- Without Jim, we wouldn't be here really.
- Not without you, we wouldn't be here,
because that's where it started.
- So, I don't know what he's going to do without me.
- As best we can.
As best we can.
- Yeah, we don't change fast.
- Yup.