Asimenia Polychronakis is determined to reopen the Repair of Minas Shoes in June, the 50th anniversary of the business of her late father.
Before the pandemic, his faithful daughter, 37, planned proper respect for his father, Minas, an immigrant from Greece, who became internationally famous after September 11 when his shop was destroyed at the World Trade Center. His story is told in many articles that are now displayed on the walls of businesses that are relocated on 63 Wall Street.
He hopes to celebrate with some excitement and special promotions, such as shoe shine for 75 cents – a fee in 1970.
In exchange, Polychronakis quietly opened the door on June 15 despite empty streets and office buildings in the Financial District.
No shoeshine was on duty yet, because “nobody was clothed” and too few people returned to their offices, he said.
But seeing his old customer has become one of the brightest places in his new day.
Bianca Alexis has been a patron for 10 years, first becoming friends with Minas, with whom he discussed cooking and politics.
“It’s wonderful to see them open again,” Alexis said, adding that he had a pair of white shoes that needed repainting.
Then there was the French doctor, a customer for 15 years, who came in with 14 pairs of shoes in the first days after the store reopened.
“In the years he came, I had never seen him bring the same shoes twice,” Polychronakis said.
However, hard times: Revenues are down, he estimates, by 90 percent from last year, and summer is already a slow season for shoe repairs.
He has applied for a $ 40,000 PPP loan to bring back five of his employees for full time work and to help bill.
The speed of the hustle and bustle of Polychronakis used for – six weekdays, several nights spent working until 3am – has been rolled back to five days a week, 10am to 5pm, for now.
Asimenia PolychronakisAnnie Wermiel / NY Post
The toughest decision he had to make was to close the second shop, Omega Repair, located a block away, on June 30.
He said there was one downside: “I am retired by my mother, who is 65 years old [and managed Omega]. I want him to be calm. “
Looking around Minas, Polychronakis wondered about unclaimed shoes – more than 100 pairs – on his shelves and whether any of them were customers who had died of a virus or had lost their jobs “and did not think about their shoes and bags. “
During the three months the shop was closed, only 10 customers called to pick up shoes they left at the store in March.
But there are encouraging signs. Some customers send shoes for repairs during locking, others bring a small piece of leather furniture to sew, and the locals who need it really need it. He called a lawyer whose office was reopened nearby, and he stopped to finish shoes.
“I’m still trying to be optimistic and patient,” Polychronakis said. “I can hear my father’s voice in my head telling me to keep believing.”
