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Being a shoe repairman in the Northwoods means your customers might come to you on two feet — or four.
Dave Franks recalled when a women came into his shop and presented him with her three-legged dog. Her veterinarian had fitted the dog with a peg leg, which restored his mobility. However, the peg wore down quickly, and it was starting to get expensive to replace.
“She just came into the shop and asked if I could put some heel material on the bottom of her dog’s peg leg,” Franks said. “So for the next four or five years, that’s what we did. He’d wear that heel material out and she’d bring it in, and we’d replace it for him.”
That repair was one of a number of unusual requests he’s received. Franks has also worked on shoes for historical war reenactments and transformed old car upholstery into a purse.
Franks owns and operates Lakeland Shoe Repair in Rhinelander with his wife, Deborah. Franks joined WPR’s “The Larry Meiller Show” to talk about his trade after more than 50 years on the job.
The art and skill of shoe and leather repair
The industry has seen a decline over the last century. The number of shoe repair shops in the U.S. has gone from about 100,000 in the 1930s to the thousands over the last few years, according to The Associated Press.
Franks said he started in the trade in 1971, when he learned from his grandpa.
Franks said he and Deborah can fix “just about anything.” The two cobble everything from leather boots to baseball gloves and beyond.
The orthopedic work Franks completes is a big part of Lakeland Shoe Repair. He modifies shoes with lifts, braces and extended soles to alleviate walking pain and discomfort.
“Over the years, I’ve just hated any time I had to turn down the job,” Franks said. “So I’d sit and try to figure out how I can do it, what glues might work better, or threads or whatever materials. We can fix just about anything nowadays.”
After more than 50 years spent repairing, Franks prefers to work part time. On the morning of April 17, he woke up and made the quick commute to the shop. It’s conveniently attached to his home, nestled in the woods.
Three or four pairs of boots were waiting for Franks to fully resole them. And, there was a stack of about a dozen men’s and women’s shoes in need of new heels. Franks completed a couple orthopedic jobs and replaced boot lace hooks.
“The thing I think I like the most about my job is I’m not doing the exact same thing every day,” Franks said. “You know, I’ve always got something different on my bench.”
Repairing shoes, from Racine to Rhinelander
Before moving to Rhinelander, Franks worked at repair shops in Racine. One was West Racine Shoe Repair, which The Journal Times in Racine reported closed in 2020 after 112 years in business.
Franks said he remembers people would stick their head into the shop just to get a smell of the leather. Shoe repair shops sometimes double as community gatherings spaces.
“It’s kind of like the barber shop,” Franks said. “The old barber shops were where fellows would sit around and shoot the breeze.”
Eventually, the Franks moved their business up to Rhinelander after years spent vacationing in the area. Franks said he’s found peace and quiet in the Northwoods. He can look out his shop windows and see bears, deer and grouse as he works.
Franks feels welcomed and blessed by his community, which he says value people who work for a living.
“I’ve got guys that have been bringing me their Allen Edmonds dress shoes for 30 years, the same pair,” Franks said.
Lakeland Shoe Repair not only draws loyal customers in northeastern Wisconsin, but also from oceans away. In March, Franks said he sent a pair of shoes to a customer stationed in Budapest, Hungary.
These days, Franks said the work is easy, comfortable and stress-free. He and Deborah have it figured out after so many years in business.
“I enjoy taking a whole pair of shoes and making them new, or I enjoy taking a shoe that somebody needs a modification done to help them walk better. I enjoy that. That’s a good feeling,” Franks said. “And just working with my hands, that’s what I enjoy the most.”
