Cobbling together a traditional expertise

From brothel creepers to Ugg boots, cobbler Dennis Clarke can chart his career through fashions in shoes.

And as the 71-year-old nears the end of his career, business has never been so good.

“The credit crunch has been good for us,” he says. “People are getting their shoes repaired instead of buying new ones.”

Mr Clarke took over the tiny shop in Bell Street, Wolverhampton, opposite the shiny new Wulfrun Centre in 1967. He was offered a unit in the shopping flagship but never gave it serious consideration.

“I wasn’t going to pay their fantastic rates and rent,” he says. “And it’s worked out well. I charge a few quid less than the repairers in the shopping centre but they’ve got carpets and nice clean counters.”

Dennis’s glass display counter is randomly stuffed with laces, inner soles and used plastic bags. Shoes ready for collection are piled high on shelves on the left of the counter. A sign warns customers that any footwear not claimed within three months will be sent for recycling. A surprising number fall into this category.

 Mr Clarke started in the cobbling business in 1953, working in Blackheath, Brierley Hill and Dudley for Modern Shoe Repairs, later taken over by Mr Minet.

After National Service and a spell at Smart Shoe Repairs in Wolverhampton, he opened Densen’s Cobblers with business partner Eric Cartwright and another shop in Dudley Road.

After Eric died in 1983, Dennis just kept on the Bell Street business. The finishing machine dominates the narrow workshop at the back. Its multitude of functions include levelling heels before he starts works on them, trimming soles and giving the shoes a shine.

Unlike most cobblers, Dennis also has a stitching machine. Nearly all soles and heels these days are stuck on but only an old-fashioned stitch will do for welted shoes. Generously he allows his mates in the cobbling world to use the machine when they need it. Airguns have taken the place of hammers for knocking nails into soles.

“But when it breaks down, you’ll find me with nails in my mouth hammering away, just like an old-time cobbler,” he chuckles.

He also uses the nails as a code to record when a pair of shoes was brought in, knocking in an extra nail in the right shoe to identify the month - under the fourth nail for April, for example - while the left shoe indicates which week of the month. “If people want to argue about when they left them, I just turn them over and look at the soles.”

Another relic in this retail gem is the cash register which is pre-digital and can only ring up single figures. He closes Sundays and half-day Thursdays and says he wouldn’t know what to do with himself if he retired.

But after 56 years in the business, it is now a consideration. He adds: “I like work, so I’ll hang on until they close me down.”

Different Types of Uggboots

Ugg boots are available in a multitude of sizes, colors, styles and fabric options. And it is no longer necessary to know someone living “down under” in Australia who can hook you up with a pair. Retailers nationwide and around the globe are stocking these best-sellers. It is even possible for you to own a pair without even having to leave the comfort of your own home. There are countless Internet web sites selling this hot item. Of course, once you receive your brand new pair of Uggs, you will want to get out of the house and show them off!

Uggboots are made in sizes that will fit every member of the family – infants, children, women and men. Full sizes, half sizes, and all sizes in between are available, if you willing to spend the time looking. But don’t worry; it will not take long to find the perfect size. What may be difficult is picking out the perfect color.

Chestnut, black, lilac, blue, pink, brown and natural sand are just a few of the many different color options that you can find for Uggboots. In fact, these trendy boots are so fashionable that you will want to purchase several pairs in different colors. Imagine owning different colored Uggboots to wear to match your different moods. Red is sure to be an attention-getter. Natural give the wearer that casual look. Pink is perfect for that flirty, girly look. And classic black is a color that is sure to go with everything. Uggboots are available in a variety of fashionable styles. You can purchase tall Uggboots or short. If you are unable to decide between tall or short, you can split the difference and get the three-quarter boot length. And if wearing the popular boot by day is not enough for you, they are even available in a slipper style. The latest style to hit the market is a clog style. And more styles are arriving every day.

And there are more. The tall Uggboot style can be found with additional fleece detail on the outside , making this style the ultimate in femininity. When practicality is more important looks, Uggboots are available with a tough molded sole and additional reinforcement in the heel and toe area. This style is great for wearing in slippery areas where traction and resistance can help the wearer avoid potentially dangerous falls.

And the exterior look does not end with color or with sheepskin. These boots are also available in your choice of suede or leather on the outside. A high-quality Ugg boot will with pure Australian merino sheepskin, but imitation fabrics abound. Zippers and straps and elasticized sides are just a few of the other options that will change the look of this must-have boot.

Big, clunky soles or smooth soles, tumbled leather or milky-smooth leather, real sheepskin or an imitation, short, tall, or somewhere in between, Uggboots are the “in” thing to have in your closet this season. And you’re sure to find a pair that fits your budget.