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‘You just don’t find cobblers anymore:’ 50 years of quality shoe repair
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Boots currently under repair sit above a machine that grinds, cleans and polishes Monday, Sept. 9, 2019, at The Red Shoe House in Gainesville. The family owned Red Shoe House turned 50 this year. - photo by Scott Rogers
On a typical workday, 61-year-old Eddie Tatum can be found sculpting foam for orthopedic shoes or using his 50-year-old heavy duty sewing machine to stitch on soles. Despite the dwindling numbers of cobblers in the nation, Tatum, who owns the Red Shoe House, has managed to keep his shop open in Gainesville for decades. This year marks the shoe repair store’s 50th year in business.