Shoe repairman in step with changing times

The 44-year-old Warwick man is a cobbler – a shoe repairman in an era when
many people would perhaps buy a new pair than have their old ones resoled.

Like many contemporary businessmen and craftsmen, Hassell is dealing with
a radically changing mercantile landscape. Whether it be offshore manufacturing,
evolving styles, or new technology, he’s had to abandon the old ways and adapt
to a whole new vocational culture.

“In the old days,” he said, “a pair of $150 leather shoes could be resoled
three or four times, and they’d last five years.”

That scenario has been altered by new manufacturing techniques and the emergence
of the casual style that first gained currency back at the beginning of the
dot-com era, when computer whizzes were wandering into their banks and brokers’
offices in tennis shoes and T-shirts.

“People don’t dress formally anymore,” Hassell said, “so there’s no longer
a need for either men or women to wear dress shoes.”

So, instead of stitching on new soles, a four- or five-step procedure, Hassell
and his few remaining shoe-repair colleagues are gluing on molded sole-heel
combinations, using any one of five kinds of cement, depending on whether the
shoe is made of rubber, plastic or vinyl.

Quality-wise, leather-soled shoes “are much better,” Hassell said. “But people
are getting away from them. I used to do two or three (leather-soled shoe jobs)
a day. Now it’s down to two or three a week.”

He held up a well-worn moccasin.

“This guy loves these shoes, so I’m putting on new soles,” he said. “But I
used to charge $30. Now, it’s $20. If I charge more, he’ll say it’s not worth
it, and will go out and buy a new pair.”

Hassell’s lament is echoed by other traditionalists who are being overwhelmed
by new products, new attitudes and the quantum growth of the electronics industry.

Hassell has clearly shifted focus. While he continues to repair shoes, some
of them the old-fashioned way, he’s spending more of his time putting zippers
on jackets, repairing tents, trampolines and belts, and patching up pocketbooks.
He also does specialized work on orthopedic shoes, which commands a higher fee
than conventional footwear repair.

Then there’s the somewhat melancholy advantage he enjoys as a survivor in
a diminishing marketplace. As one of the region’s few remaining cobblers, he
visits malls in North Attleboro, Warwick, Providence, and occasionally Braintree
to handle repair jobs for shoe stores in those venues.

“I never did that before,” he said. “I never dyed shoes for weddings and proms,
either, but I do now.”

When Hassell joined his grandfather, Ernest Bonifezi, back in the mid-80s,
the shoe-repair business was thriving. Bonifezi had operated North Attleboro
Shoe Repair since 1953, and was about to retire.

Hassell, a graduate of Pilgrim High School, had been retreading tires for
a living, so the switch to “retreading” shoes was relatively easy. Still, young
Ron began his apprenticeship modestly, shining the shoes his grandfather had
restored.

“Then I replaced heels and learned how to sew little rips,” Hassell recalled.

His grandfather retired – sort of – in 1986, but never roamed far from the
shop.

“He still comes in every day,” Hassell said. “He does soles and runs the stretching
machine. He comes in between 6 and 6:30 a.m. He never misses a day.”

But the old routines are gone. Distributors are going out of business, and
salesmen no longer call at the shop. Instead, Hassell buys his supplies from
outlets in Lowell and Philadelphia.

And, though the business has changed, the repair shop remains a throwback.

“We still use the same equipment,” Hassell said, pointing to his sanding wheel,
nailing and stitching machines.

Remarkably upbeat despite everything, Hassell declared that he would like
to be doing business at the same old stand 20 years from now. One thing in his
favor: North Attleboro once supported three shoe-repair shops. Now he’s the
last man standing.