Hidden beneath a footbridge in Mei Foo, the 40 sq ft space inside Gun Kee Shoes is piled high with shoe accessories and footwear from around the world.
For more than three decades, So Wing-kuen and his wife have diligently restored worn and scuffed shoes inside this itsy-bitsy staircase shop.
“People often discard damaged shoes to purchase a new pair. All too often, these shoes can still be mended,” said the 57-year-old, who learned the craft at his father’s elbow while in primary school.
The second-generation cobbler explained how his father entered the shoemaking business in the 1960s. It was a boom period for Hong Kong’s handmade leather shoes, fuelled by Western soldiers who visited the city during the Vietnam war.
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However, in the 1980s, the city’s industry was challenged by overseas footwear imports and factories, which led many shoemakers, including So’s father, to pivot towards repair.
“Shoemaking requires a lot of space and expensive materials ... So many turned to footwear repair for its flexibility and convenience,” said So, who inherited his father’s shop in 1991 after a five-year stint in the publishing industry.
“I had no interest in shoe repair, but as the eldest son, I felt it was my responsibility.”
“My passion for the field only developed after I took over the business and faced intriguing and challenging work.”
Gun Kee Shoes is a small shop, so the owners don’t have much room to train new cobblers. Photo: Edmond So
On the job
Every scuffed sole that enters Gun Kee Shoes requires different repair techniques.
So explained: “The first step is to understand the type of footwear. For example, leather shoes usually need heel replacement, while trainers are always about rescuing the sole.”
Based on the shoe’s condition and the materials needed, repairs can cost up to HK$700, and the time required ranges from a quick 15-minute fix to a long process spanning four to eight weeks.
“When customers come to us, they care most about the price. If the mending cost is higher than the original price, they’d rather buy a new pair,” the cobbler said.
He added that there were other factors that customers considered, such as whether the shoe was a limited edition product or if it was comfortable to wear.
So Wing-kuen says he didn’t love working as a cobbler at first, but he has grown to love it. Photo: Edmond So
Over time, companies have created more functional footwear for specific purposes, and this has added to the complexity of So’s work.
“Trainers for running, climbing and skating [are] made of different materials. So I need to be flexible and creative in handling the repairs,” the cobbler said.
The most challenging fixes are for shoes he is seeing for the first time – for example, Cantonese opera shoes with thick soles, or footwear for people who have leg length discrepancies. But the process also gives him a sense of satisfaction.
“When I successfully overcome the challenges to mend the shoes and receive the appreciation from the customer ... it gives me huge joy. Those experiences will become my tool, and I am eager to learn more about the different types of shoes,” the skilled craftsman shared.
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Beyond honing his shoe repair abilities, So has also cultivated better people skills. He recalled bad-tempered, demanding customers who ended up becoming his friends as they appreciated his craft and attitude.
“As a cobbler, you serve people more than [their] shoes – and dealing with people is more challenging. Shoes are inanimate objects that cannot speak, but customers come with different personalities, requests and expressions that you have to respond to accordingly,” he reflected.
“Being a cobbler has made me calmer. When I was young, I fought with unreasonable customers, but now, I keep the peace to avoid disputes.”
‘Lion Rock spirit’
As he approaches retirement, So is among the few remaining cobblers in the city. The high rent, expensive materials and low income deter many from the industry.
“Many cobblers quit the job as they couldn’t afford the rent. I run the staircase store partly because it’s cheap to rent, but the place is too small to hire staff or teach people the skills,” So said, adding that shoe repair was not appealing to the new generation.
“You can’t aim to make big money by being a cobbler. It’s OK to sustain your life, but you could never earn enough money to buy a house.”
Still, the cobbler has seen a lot of interest in the craft from fans of his Facebook page, which has amassed over 19,000 followers since he opened it 10 years ago.
“I hope people won’t look down on us [cobblers] and see our work with prejudice like it’s a dirty industry that is about to die or fall behind the times,” the cobbler said.
“I can’t work as a cobbler forever, and this industry might disappear from Hong Kong’s landscape someday, but history cannot deny our contribution to the city.”
His shop’s name, “Gun”, means “root” in Chinese, and So sees the legacy of cobblers as being an important root in Hong Kong history, as well as a testament to the “Lion Rock spirit”, a term referring to Hongkongers’ resilience.
“It showcases how people in the past used their hands and hard work to launch the manufacturing industry and develop the city that makes Hong Kong today,” he said. “So I think a cobbler actually represents Hong Kong’s spirit.”
Get the word outamassed 積累
to get a large amount of something
at somebody's elbow 在某人旁邊
close to and a little behind someone
diligently 認真地
in a way that is careful and uses a lot of effort
discrepancies 差異
a difference between two things that should be the same
itsy-bitsy 極小的
extremely small
piled high 堆積
packed or filled with things
pivot 轉向
change direction
stint 工作期限
a fixed or limited period of time spent doing a particular job or activity
testament 證明
proof
