When it comes to finding a shoe repair shop, look no further than W & J Shoe Repair and Leathercraft in Downtown Statesboro.
The shop is owned and operated by Statesboro native, Jimmy Raymond, who has been in the shoe repair business for over 30 years. W & J Shoe Repair, located at 43 West Main, is a locally-owned, Black-owned downtown Statesboro business. Raymond, along with help from his children, repairs all kinds of shoes in various degrees of disrepair.
Raymond has been a leather craftsman for over 40 years and states, “I’m very, very, very well acquainted with leather craft.” He is the only shoe repairman in Statesboro as well as in the five surrounding counties. He mentioned that this was not always the case, as every small town had a shoe repairman or two. Today, the closest shoe repair to Statesboro (other than W & J) is in Savannah.
Click here for a previous Grice Connect story on Raymond.
Before getting into the shoe business, "Mr. Jimmy" attended Savannah State University, then transferred to Georgia Southern majoring in industrial education. Post graduation, he taught high school industrial art in Atlanta and Glennville. He got his start in the shoe repair business by working at a shoe shop in the Statesboro Mall. He worked there for four years until the store closed.
After the mall shoe repair store closed, he opened his own store downtown and bought his own machinery. His first store was located at 41 W. Main St., where he operated for 19 years before relocating next door. One thing that Raymond is proud of is how he has been able to remain open while keeping his prices low. He states, “I’m comfortable with my prices, and I only go up in price when material goes up.”
He charges $40 for a basic shoe repair, which is lower than Savannah shoe repair stores that charge $60+.
His message to all is, “Everybody has feet so everyone wears shoes.” He greatly enjoys what he does and shows no signs of stopping.
W & J Shoe Repair is located at 43 W. Main Street in downtown Statesboro, Georgia. They are open 9am-2pm Tuesday-Friday and on Saturdays from 9am-12pm.
Come into the store anytime or call 912-536-6660.
