Our Story
It all began when Greg was just a young boy…
Growing up locally, in Buena Vista, his neighbor was one of many shoe cobblers in the area. Now Greg’s always been an outdoorsman…hunting, fishing and in the Boy Scouts. It was all to fitting that he would have Mr. Gearhart, the cobbler, make a knife sheath to go inside his boot.
That one visit to the shoe repair shop stuck in his mind and when in old age Mr. Gearhart was going to close his repair shop, Greg inquired “how would you learn if you didn’t know how”. Mr. Gearhart’s simple reply was, “if you’re interested, buy the business, and I’ll teach you”. And yes, Greg would go on to purchase ‘The Cobbler Shop’ (1986), where he served the needs of the community for 16 years. It was an investment in the future, a dying skill-trade preserved and passed on to another generation.
Flash forward to 2015…
A new name, a new location and a new vision (and the addition of Sara, the wife). In 2015 our doors officially opened in Lexington as Cobblestone Shoe & Leather repair. As time passed, we were no longer just a shoe repair shop, we had grown into a unique blend of all things leather. From artisan Italian leather goods to our hand-crafted house-brand ‘Cobblestone + Moore’, these leather goods quickly filled our shelves and the demand for more handmade leather goods was increasing. Of course, we’re still repairing shoes and other leather goods and offer a select line of shoe and leather care products to extend the life of your well-loved leather possessions. In 2020 we rebranded as Cobblestone Shoppes, The Leather Store to better reflect our transformation.
Final note…
We would not be where we are today without the guidance of the Lord. From an early age, he planted the desire in both of us to work with our hands. He made our new location a possibility with finances, equipment and the right building. This truly is our calling and we know it has all come from Him. What a blessing!
