Jim’s Shoe Repair: A family legacy on the Upper East Side since 1932

NEW YORK –  For Joe Rocco, every day on the job brings a brand new problem.

The proprietor of Jim’s Shoe Repair on the Upper East Side, he welcomes clients looking for options to all kinds of damage and tear.

“They damage their shoes in the streets, so we have to mix the color and make it look like new again,” he stated.

Often, the perpetrator is a pet.

“These dogs chew shoes,” he stated.

Joe and his employees will take on nearly any request for restore or reconditioning. 

“You always get one job that’s strange. Sometimes you get a part of a couch,” he stated. “We just try to help everybody out.”

At Jim’s, shoe restore is a family custom that started with Joe’s grandpa, a local of Naples, Italy. 

“My grandfather, years ago, he came to America, and he started shining shoes in the buildings to make enough money to open his own business,” he stated.

Jim opened his store in 1932. Generations later, the authentic shoe shine stations stay.

Joe spent many years working alongside his father and uncle earlier than inheriting the business.

“They taught me everything,” he stated.

His son Andrew is now the supervisor and fourth technology preserving Jim’s legacy.

“I’ve been coming in since I’m five years old,” Andrew stated.

Over the many years, the retailer has cast bonds.

“All our customers are like family,” Joe stated.

For him, nurturing these relationships is crucial.

“We all care about our work, and we treat people with respect,” he stated. “We wouldn’t be here 90 years if we didn’t do the right thing by the people.”

Jim’s Shoe Repair
50 E 59th St
New York, NY 10022
(212) 355-8259
Nationwide service out there on-line
https://jimsshoerepair.com/