I’m a strong believer in a good pair of boots as they are one of the few items of clothing that can last for 10 years and get better with age. But, like most long-term relationships good boots often require an upfront investment and continual care. With that in mind, I headed to
Connie’s Shoe Repair and Bail Bonds this week on 8
th Street in downtown Richmond.
Connies, owned by Nathan Elkin, is a third generation cobbler (open in 1911) that has become one of my favorite businesses in town. Henry, Nathan’s head cobbler, has resurrected a handful of my shoes in the past and this time he went to work on a pair of
Ariat Ramblers (I have had these for 7 years and this is the first time I have ever had to work on them) and a pair of
Billy Reid Ropers (A beautiful leather boot that was a gift for my 30
th birthday). They both needed some attention as I had worn through the heel on one and the toe on the other. As usual, Henry and Nathan took good care of me and within a couple of days the boots were fixed, polished and better than new.
The beauty of Connies, is they have a
mail in service, so you don’t have to live in Richmond to get work done. But, if you are in town, I encourage you to stop by and see Nathan, hopefully for a shoeshine and not for a bail bond.
