After more than 40 years in the shoe-repair business, Mission’s last remaining cobbler says his passion for the trade remains.
Last month, Arnold Atsma was recognized with the 2021 Business Excellence Customer Service Award by Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The crowd erupted in applause when his name was announced.
“I was really impressed by that – shoeshine boy getting a big applause by that,” Atsma said. “It was quite an honour.”
Atsma has lived in Mission since 1978, and has been the owner of Arnold’s Shoe Repair on 1st Avenue since 1983, but he didn’t always work with shoes. He once worked at the sawmills “on the boondocks.”
He didn’t take up the trade until 1980, shortly after his brother started his own shoe repair shop in Abbotsford.
He was 30 at the time.
“I thought ‘Hey, this is a trade that might do well,’” Atsma said, adding he does miss the outside work sometimes, apart from when it’s icy and cold.
He said there were actually two other cobblers in Mission when he opened up his store.
“Oh my goodness they were everywhere!” Atsma said. “Now I’m the only one left.”
He said there’s a lot less work these days, but he still finds plenty of jobs fixing up everything from work boots to ladies shoes to coats and purses – “the whole nine yards.”
Most of the footwear worn today is made overseas out of cheap material and is not worth fixing, Atsma said, but his passion for the work keeps him coming back everyday.
He said he’s made a lot of connections to the community over the years, and even remembers customers from when they were kids.
“It’s the work itself. Most people are quite satisfied,” Atsma said.
“I enjoy helping people out and fixing things and working with my hands. So it all worked out well for me.”
And the cobbler profession still has life. Atsma has an apprentice coming in on Friday, and jokes that maybe he will one day be able to take a day off.