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Review content:
After years of discarding old, worn-out timeless treasures, I am thrilled to know that a great pair, in the hands of a good cobbler, can have a second lease on life.
The magnificent resole job Houston Shoe Hospital did on my Vittorio Russo's ? new heels and all ? is nothing short of amazing. They are literally new again, and I couldn't be happier to have them back in their rightful place on my rack where they belong. I'm simply elated.
And Percy, the store owner/manager ? what can I say? This guy is the consummate professional. For a shoe hospital, he has to be the ultimate shoe doctor with intimate knowledge of every breadth leather takes.
I am rather particular ? some might even say, eccentric ? about my shoes, which is why I tend to buy a second pair of every rare find, to ensure that I'd always have them. But it wasn't to be for my venerable Vittorio Russo's; there simply wasn't a second pair to be had anywhere in the world ? yes, I searched everywhere, even the great Amazon forest, to no avail!
My lone pair had seen better days ? with soles and heels so badly worn, I stopped wearing them. But the mere thought of tossing them simply made me sick.
It's not that I didn't know shoes could be resoled. Far from it. The simple truth is that many a resole job I've seen on feet other than mine are, frankly, nothing I'd want to wear. So, here I was, between the proverbial rock and a hard place ? to toss the one pair I couldn't stand the thought of losing, or take a chance on having them resoled.
Earlier in the spring, I'd stopped in Percy's store on what was my first visit ever to any Houston Shoe Hospital, wearing a new belt which needed an extra hole or two for a perfect fit. Percy graciously punched two holes, after which I asked, ""How much do I owe you?"" Percy simply replied, ""Nothing, man. Come back to me when you've got a real job for me."" The entire encounter lasted less than a minute, and he could have charged any amount he saw fit, which I would have gladly paid. But he didn't.
It was a simple but rare gesture of goodwill I would not soon forget. What impressed me even more when I did return is that Percy had no recollection of his good deed on that initial encounter. That tells you all you'd ever want to know about the man and the way he goes about building solid repeat-business relationships with his customers. If that's not a PhD in marketing psychology, I don't know what is.
Thank you, Percy, for the great work you do, and best wishes for continued success always!
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