Revitalizing the cobbler profession

With shops, restaurants and salons forced to close or work at a reduced capacity over the past year, the pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges for a majority of businesses across Canada.

For Tess Gobeil, BFA 15, and her business partner Ariss Grutter, however, it was an opportunity to open their new shop Awl Together Leather. Opened May 4, 2021, in Gobeil’s hometown of Vancouver, the studio is devoted to leatherwork, shoe repair and custom creations.

“Concordia gave me the confidence to want to be a part of the art community,” Gobeil says. “Being surrounded by other artists who are living their best dream, living their art fantasies, gave me the confidence to come home and be like ‘let's make an art community here.’”

Being young, female and queer, Gobeil and Grutter are a unique duo in the cobbler industry. According to WorkBC, 82 per cent of cobblers in British Columbia are male, with the majority over the age of 45 and eyeing retirement.

“We're hoping to make a place in Vancouver where people can get trained and either start their own business or join our team,” she says. “It's not an industry nor a skill set that we want to see disappear.”

As more people look to extend the life of their quality leather goods and shoes rather than buying new, Gobeil and Grutter set out to provide many leather-related services including shoe repair, re-dyes, restoration, small goods manufacturing and garment alterations.

The shop is also home to Italian-trained shoemaker Amy Slosky who offers locally made custom shoes and boots.

‘I knew I wanted to work with my hands’

Know a Concordia grad with an interesting story? We’d love to hear it. Email us at magazine@concordia.ca.