Street cobblers are an uncommon sight in the heartlands of Singapore in comparison to decades ago. CLARICE TAN SI YING, NUR SYAFINA BINTE IMRAN, and TAY HWEI TING MEGAN JOY find out more.
Geared up with goggles and a head lamp, Mr Fo Csin Hing, 80, fixes shoes at his corner in Boon Lay. Photo by Nur Syafina.
Ten years ago, there were rows of cobblers at Chinatown’s Cobbler’s Square. Today, only five remain.
Cobblers used to be a common sight in Singapore, but are now hard to come by in the neighbourhood. People who visit cobblers have also drastically decreased in number.
According to a survey done by Flora Magazine, 71 per cent are aware of cobblers in Singapore, but 48 per cent of them have never brought their shoes to one.
“It is not because they have no money,” says Mdm Alice Wong, 60, a cobbler in Clementi. Depending on the type of repair service, charges typically range from $10 to $30, matching the prices of new items from fast fashion brands.
“It is not because they have no money.”
Mdm Wong shares that affordability is not an issue, but when you have to choose between staying trendy and repairing an old pair of shoes for the same price, the latter is just not worth it.
“Are you sure? My string is so thick, it won't look nice," Mdm Chen Pei Yee, 57, a cobbler for over 20 years, said in response to a teenager's request to sew a hole in her sneaker, making the teen leave.
Amsyar Amali, 22, a frequent customer of the Jurong East cobblers, shared that one of the reasons people may avoid going to cobblers is their uncertainty about the quality of the repaired shoes.
Not all street cobblers provide refined services with every material in all shapes, sizes, and colours, and fix-ups may often not be of the best quality. Mdm Wong mentioned that some cobblers would take the order even though they might not have the required tools to fix the shoes. In order to complete the order, they would use elephant glue to repair the shoes, which ended up damaging the shoes.
“Are you sure? My string is so thick, it won't look nice.”
With the lack of demand for cobbler services, Mdm Wong believes that cobblers will disappear in the future because of how tedious and dirty the job is. To her, it lacks meaning, and she does it out of necessity.
Mr Fo Csin Hing, 80, a cobbler at Boon Lay, shared that the career of a cobbler is often born from low income and limited access to education.
“In this generation, people get good education, have high qualifications, have scholarships, and can work better jobs,” he said.
Back then, his financial situation did not allow him to prioritise education over fulfilling his daily needs. All he had were his hands, so he became a cobbler to earn an income. He feels that people now have no financial burdens forcing them to do something like fixing shoes on the side of the road, and so the trade dies.
The number of cobblers further decreased when COVID-19 hit Singapore. According to an article by TheDrum in 2021, “Six in 10 business owners in Singapore say they are barely surviving the COVID-19 pandemic." Undoubtedly, cobblers were affected as well.
Mdm Chen shared that during the lockdown, she was unable to go out and operate her business. “People don't go out, so they don't wear their shoes, so there are no shoes to fix,” she said.
Despite it being a disappearing trade, the cobblers themselves do not think it is a pity. “We cannot go backwards, with technology becoming more advanced, these hands-on trades will definitely disappear in the future, since machines can do everything," Mr Fo said.
“People don't go out, so they don't wear their shoes, so there are no shoes to fix.”
However, because old shoes mould to the owner’s feet after repeated usage, some become reluctant to let go of the comfort, and turn to cobblers.
“Those who want to fix their shoes only come because their shoes are comfortable and they are unwilling to throw them away, not because they have no money,” Mdm Wong said.
Some people also enjoy the simple interactions they have with cobblers. Mr Amsyar always chooses them over the repairmen in the mall. To him, repairing shoes is a basic yet unique skill, and he enjoys seeing it being exercised.
Cobblers will always remain a key part of Singapore’s heritage, representing our roots and how we have grown. At the rate that the street cobblers are disappearing, it is time for the younger generations to visit these cobblers before they permanently become part of Singapore’s history.
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