Street Cobbler
The origin of street cobblers
During the 20th century, Singapore's economy had been constantly expanding and times were changing. Due to rapid modernisation, people began to switch from clogs to modern footwear. Cobblers were then on high demand as people would often repair their shows instead of buying new ones to save money. Stationed on the streets, this meant that the cobblers were easily accessible, thus the further boosting its popularity.
STREET COBBLERS
As the name suggests, street cobblers are people who repair and mend shoes. These street cobblers usually lay a mat on the ground and are found sitting at street corners or along walkways. They carry with them many different kinds of knives, hammers, nails, pincers, shoe brushes, shoe lasts, shoe polish, threads of different colours, needles, adhesive and scissors. They store away their tools in boxes or baskets. They also keep with them rolls of leather, synthetic leather, varieties of vinyl soling material and rubber pieces. These tools then come in handy when they have to replace old soles, stich up torn slippers or replace heels. For example, to patch up or replace soles, they would first select suitable material according to the customer's footwear. The outline of the shoe shape would then be traced on the selected material with a pencil. The cobbler would cut it and finally stick it on with a strong adhesive superglue to the shoe. The edges were trimmed with a very sharp knife. Customers usually either wait for the cobbler to repair the shoes or collects it later the same day.
ENTREPRENEUR SPIRIT
This old trade may seem like a humble and informal service, but it is a very good representation of Singapore's entrepreneur spirit in the earlier. These street cobblers brave the weather, be it rain or shine, set up their stands along the streets. Mending and repairing our shoes, calluses have grown on their hands. To survive in their job aspect, they really have to be a jack of all trades and we should give them our utmost respect. With commercial businesses dominating their trade aspect now, many cobblers are starting to vanish from our streets. However, we should always remember as they are a very important part of our culture and heritage. If we can, we should even frequent this stalls, one being to keep them afloat especially during tough times such as during the pandemic. Secondly, we can also learn more about Singapore's past trades and culture.
PLACES TO EXPLORE
Cobblers square
Outside People's Park Complex, lies a small community of cobblers that chat with their fellow cobblers while waiting for customers. Their prices range but are definitely still cheaper than those pitched in shopping malls.
Address: Outside People's Park Complex, 1 Park Road, Singapore 059108 (Nearest MRT: Chinatown, Exit C)
Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 10am to 10pm
Uncle Lee @Woodlands drive
Uncle Lee is a friendly man who charges around $10 to mend shoes.
Address: Blk 640 Woodlands Drive 63, Singapore 730640 (Nearest MRT station: Woodlands)
Opening hours: Tues-Sun, 9am to 5pm
mr yamaguchi taro @Yishun bus interchange
Mr Yamaguchi enjoys chatting with customers and can speak 4 languages! He charges as low as $2 for a simple shoe mending job.
Address: Yishun bus interchange, Yishun Ave 2 (Nearest MRT station: Yishun)
Opening hours: Mon-Sun, 1.30pm to 11pm
