Nob Hill Shoe Repair

About

Local Shoe Repair Shop

Story

In the beginning, Candido Martinez (father) opened the first family shoe repair business which originated in Socorro, New Mexico in 1928. The shoe shop was in a small open room with wooden floors and only one light hanging in the center of the ceiling. There was just one wooden bench with a boot jack mounted to that bench that was used to hammer, resole, and stitch shoes.

At that time, everything was repaired by hand. Most shoe repairmen did not have any machines to sew or finish the shoes. There also was no heat or air conditioning either. When shoe repair machinery were finally invented, most small mom and pop's shoe repair businesses could not afford the machinery. Shoe repair was very hard work and most tools were hand made. Knives were made from old hand saw blades.

Besides the hammers and nails, the sewing thread for stitching soles or repairing rips on shoes, purses or belts, were hand made too. The thread was made from pig skin and bees wax, which was rolled by hand on the leg.

In 1960, Candido Martinez relocated his family and shop to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Originally, He had started his shoe repair in Socorro New Mexico, but due to the lack of business, he relocated to Albuquerque. He opened a small shoe & Boot repair in the Princess Jeanne Shopping Center, which he operated until his death in 1962.

In 1951, Frank Martinez (brother) purchased Nob Hill Shoe Repair. Nob Hill Shoe Repair was originally located at Carlisle and Central SE, on the southeast corner of the Nob Hill Shopping Center. In the early 1980's, Frank decided to purchase his own building and to relocate Nob Hill Shoe Repair to 4208 Central Avenue SE. Currently, Nob Hill Shoe Repair still resides at this location. In 1994, Frank decided to retire and Julio Martinez (current owner and brother) purchased Nob Hill Shoe Repair from his brother Frank. Unfortunately, on January 18, 2010, on Martin Luther King's birthday, we lost Frank.

Julio Martinez is currently the owner and operator of Nob Hill Shoe Repair. Rudy M. Enriquez (shoe repair person) and Julio's son, Andrew Martinez, are the repair persons. Sons, Jake Martinez, and Luke Wiley also sons of Julio's, which come in time to time and help there father. Grandson, Andrew Jr. known as JR, has also worked along with his father Andrew and grandfather Julio, from time to time.

Impressum

Shoe Repair