Cobbling It All Together

From the outside, passers-by often wonder how the tiny, red, former corn crib can house the equipment necessary to repair Wiltonians' shoes. The Wilton Shoemaker owner Chris Kydes jokes that the shop is twice as big inside as it is outside.

Though the space is still tiny, the cobbler believes that having windows on all four sides keeps him from going stir-crazy.

Inside, he has equipment for everything from cutting leather to plugging cork into broken soles before resurfacing. And Kydes doesn't always work alone. As often as not, his son can be found at his side - learning the trade as Chris did from his father in Great Barrington, Mass. some 40 years ago.

The question he's asked most often is, "can it be fixed?" The answer is almost always yes. The cobbler can stitch ripped soles or uppers and stretch those vintage pairs that always seemed to be too tight. He even used to make custom shoes, but the costs are just too prohibitive now.

His most common repairs are re-soling or replacing heels. It's smart to repair shoes in this economy since the pairs he often works on are men's loafers that cost in excess of $400 and women's heels that easily cost double that - though he's not exclusive, he'll fix any pair you love.

The oddest thing he's ever been asked is to repair was a saddle for a camel, and he did it.

Kydes has a long roster of repeat customers, only about half of whom are from Wilton. Apparently, it's not easy to find a good cobbler anymore.

"Once they find you, they keep coming," he said.

The lack of space is the biggest issue with his tiny office. Fifteen years ago, he had a larger shop on Route 7. Since he no longer has room for flat tables in his shop, he cannot work on handbags and briefcases like he used to.

Kydes admits that the small shop gets him some attention though.  People often pop their heads in because they are fascinated by the structure, which has been on the Route 7 property since the land was a working farm. It's a bit of a mystery why the owner decided to keep the corn crib, which doesn't match the strip mall that's been erected around it, but it's certainly a landmark for locals and passers-through alike.

"They used to keep chicken and corn in here. It's a funny little thing," said Kydes, looking around at his shop, which has housed an H&R Block and real estate office in the past.

If he could re-imagine it as anything, he'd love to see an exclusive little bar. "It could only serve 4 customers per night," he said.

And to answer the question that's on everyone's mind: yes, the corn crib does have a bathroom.

The Wilton Shoemaker is at 200 Danbury Rd. It is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Call 203-762-5929 for more information.