Before Goodyear Shoe Repair and Archie's, 107 Welch was the site of Pete's Shoe Shop, run by Peter Giannos.
107 Welch Avenue has a long history of being a shoe repair business. First starting as Pete's Shoe repair, run by Peter Giannos. Next it was Goodyear Shoe Repair.
Goodyear Shoe Repair at 107 Welch Avenue
Archie Wierson began working at the shop at 107 Welch in 1936 and became partial owner in 1945 when he returned from his WW II overseas service. He purchased full ownership in 1949 and worked for many years with the slogan, We doctor shoes, heel them and save their soles. He specialized in while you wait shoe repair of all sorts.
In addition to regular types of repair they could: modify shoes orthopedically, dye shoes to match a special gown, repair zippers, sharpen ice skates, clean and blocks men’s hats and refresh leather jackets.
Archie Wierson at work in his shop, July 1955
Archie is pictured above replacing a heel using an automatic nailer that can complete the job in three minutes. Other machines include the McKay stitcher for attaching a new sole. If it pertains to shoes, we can repair it. In addition to repairing shoes, the shop could modify shoes orthopedically, repair zippers, sharpen ice skates, refinish leather jackets, and clean and block men's hats. Brides could even have Archie dye their attendants' shoes to a matching shade.
Rick Lippard started working for Archie Wierson in 1979, there were five full-time employees who would repair shoes. Business was good then. By 1986, when Lippard bought the business from Wierson, business had slowed. They then had three workers. Starting in 2000 Rick Lippard was a one man shoe repair business. Archie's Shoe repair closed in December 2005 after 70 years in business.
