Name/Title
Brooks Shoe ServiceScope and Content
Historical information on Brooks Shoe Service for 1976 Bicentennial Celebration in Waupun, WI
Brooks Shoe Service
Mr. & Mrs. Roy Brooks, owners and operators of Brooks Shoe Service at 217 E. Main Street have been in that location for 20 years.
Before moving their business down town they were located in two different sites in the 100 block of East Main Street for 15 years; but they lost their buildings to progress when they were torn down for a super market and its parking lot.
In the current location, Mr. Brooks and two part time helpers repair not only shoes, but purses, golf bags, leather jackets, belts, and most anything else that needs sewing on his antique sewing machine with its heavy duty thread and needle. Each pair of dress shoes that are repaired are polished before leaving the shop.
Fortv years ago Mr. Brooks worked in the Ideal Shoe Factory and started a shoe repair shop in his home as a side line. After five years he moved his shop to Gus Bernhagen's building in the 100 block of East Main Street and six years later into Abe Dubin's building, a couple doors away. Then all the buildings were razed for the Super Valu/super market and he moved to his present site.
The store stocks a complete line of play, dress and work shoes and boots as well as snow boots and rain wear. Mrs. Brooks handles the merchandise sales with the help of Mrs. Henry Krause.
There were other shoe repairmen through out the years, but they have long disappeared.
In the early 1900's, Ferdinant Hess operated a shop on N. Madison Street north of the present Fletcher Studio.
Ted O1m had a shop on S. Madison Street in 1930's but the building was razed for the parking lot behind the new Stoffel Drug Store.
Art Salem had a shop on E. Main Street in the 1930's on the corner of Main and Carrington in the old theater building. He sold out to William Allan, Several years later in 1956, Mr. Allan moved the Modern Shoe Shop to 420 E. Main and sold it to Arthur Elvers in Jan. of 1957. Mr. Arthur Elvers, who originated in Ripon, moved it to his home town in 1958.
Robert Elvers, son of the repair mar, operated a shoe store on E. Main Street for more than 20 years. He liquidated his stock early in 1976.
Mr. Elvers bought the shoe store from Norbert Rathenbach on August 1, 1954, and introduced Red Goose childrens' shoes, Grace Walker, womens' & John C. Roberts for men, during his grand opening.
Today, we have another shoe shop called Arnie's Shoe Repair, at 9 Johnson Street, managed by Arnie Voskuil, a former shoe worker at the Wisconsin Shoe Factory.Acquisition
Accession
2016.0075Source or Donor
Waupun Area Chamber of CommerceAcquisition Method
Donation
