Philadelphia - July 31, 2007

Super Star

Star Shoe Service

Scenario 1: You spend a fortune on beautiful shoes. You wear them everywhere and wear them out. You take them to the shoe repair shop down the street, and they sell them.

Scenario 2: You take said shoes to Star Shoe Service, and they come back brand-new.

If you’re of reasonable intellect, you’ll pick the latter. Star Shoe Service, which has been around for about 75 years and is possibly the best shoe repair shop in town, is run by husband and wife Edward and Frances Staniszewski. Edward handles the shoes; Frances tackles customer relations and assesses your damage.

They do basics, like replacing soles and heels, and can also reconstruct a shoe that you’d dismissed as a goner. If the dog chewed a pair, they’ll take a look. Ruined your boots in the winter salt? Edward desalts with a special compound, then seals against further damage. Flats not quite broken in? They can stretch shoes to the comfort point.

So the shoe can fit, and you can wear it.

Available at Star Shoe Service, 311 East Girard Avenue (215-739-9165).