Business Profile: Chillemi Shoe Repair, White Plains
Putting new life into a pair of worn shoes, adjusting others so they’ll fit more comfortably and giving hope to customers who would otherwise throw away that favorite pair of sandals or boots is what the Chillemi family has been doing for 63 years.
It’s not hard to see why. The friendly faces of Paul Chillemi and his father, Peter, technically retired but still putting in 10-hour days, six days a week, are an instant draw. Not to mention that both are skilled in that old world Italian style craftsmanship, artistry that has virtually disappeared in today’s throwaway society.
As the elder Chillemi recalls, his son, Paul, raised and educated in White Plains, started learning the trade at age 11.
Shoemaking and the art of shoe repair is an Italian tradition that is revered worldwide.
It is a craft and know-how that generations of artisans pass to future generations, and that certainly holds true in the Chillemi family. Each day after school, Paul Chillemi would watch his dad toil over a myriad of broken shoes, essentially learning the trade from the ground up.
Paul’s brother, Frank, also works at the store, as does his sister from time to time.
Peter Chillemi, 82, was one of 13 children born to Italian immigrants in the Bronx, and the youngest boy in the family. Along with three older brothers, Chillemi set up the business in 1949, located at the time on Main Street, with the intention of providing a quick turnaround on shoe repairs.
That philosophy still holds true today, with the Chillemis offering a repair-as-you-wait service, at least on the most basic of shoe repair jobs. Other, more complicated repairs take more time and require customers to return within a few days for the finished product.
“It is in my heart; I love it,” said Peter Chillemi, an affable man who clearly loves working with his son. The feeling is mutual as the two work hand in hand, fixing the piles of shoes and boots that are in various states of disrepair, some of them buried in customers’ shopping bags and others lining the shelves of this 1,100-square-foot store. Shoes that have been repaired sit in tall brown paper bags high above the work area, each bag labeled and ready to be taken away.
The noise of a polishing/sanding machine that is constantly humming throughout the day seems to go unnoticed by both of them as they each work with hammer in hand on applying new heels and soles to shoes, opening seams, re-stitching by hand and with a stitching machine, inserting new lining in pocketbooks, repairing zippers to jackets, boots and other items, and “pretty much everything else,” said the younger Chillemi.
It’s a tough job that can be physically demanding since there’s a lot of standing and moving around involved, but it also requires the Chillemis to be on top of their game. “These days, shoes are made differently than, say, seven years ago,” said Paul Chillemi, referring to soles and other parts of a shoe that are increasingly made from synthetic materials as opposed to leather. The repair process often involves the use of different glues and other materials as a result.
An abundance of shoe products and other items are on sale throughout the recently expanded store. Customers can choose from shoe polish, dyes and waterproofing products as well as all types of insoles and shoe stretchers, arch supports, shoe shine kits, a range of quality men’s leather boots and so much more.
The Chillemis return to Italy once a year to visit family, but also to look for hard-to-find items that here in the U.S. might not have the same quality as the European products. They include leather handbags, leather straps, rubber lining in a variety of colors to protect the soles of shoes, and metal rings called d-rings that are used at the end of a leather or fabric strap and attached to clothing or luggage.
With the phone ringing off the hook and a slew of repeat customers coming through their doors each day, the Chillemis are sure to have business for many more years to come. Legions of devoted clients drive from as far away as New York City and New Jersey, and for longtime customers who have moved to Florida and the Carolinas, sending their shoes by mail for a refurbishing is a common occurrence, said the Chillemis.
Both agree that their business is an essential one, especially when times are tough and repairing a good quality pair of shoes that will last for several more years is a better option than purchasing a lesser quality item. “What we’re doing here is making shoes like they’re brand new again,” said a proud Peter Chellemi.
The store is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Chillemi Shoe Repair is located on 200 Hamilton Avenue in the White Plains Mall. Call 914-761-1141 for more information.
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