Take your SHOES for a walk
Singapore's John Chung has a gift for reviving tired footwear. If you're down at the heels, he's the saviour of soles
SHOESHINE ARTISTE John Chung – a minor celebrity around Singapore’s Boat Quay – got his start in the footwear business by selling used Thai shoes to residents of our city-state neighbour to the south. Somehow from that funky beginning, Chung, who’s still only in his late 20s, has ended up pampering leather at Mason and Smith, the swank shoeshine bar on the harbour’s edge.
He opened Singapore’s first (and still only) shoeshine establishment two years ago and keeps busy polishing, cleaning and otherwise caring for lace-ups, loafers and other leather goods. If it doesn’t seem there’d be a huge demand for such places in sandal-shod Southeast Asia, pop in and have be surprised.
Mason and Smith, born out of Chung’s interest in restoring vintage shoes, prides itself on reviving traditional shoeshine methods to their long-lost lustre. He offers different grades of leather-care service, all done by hand, and sells some pretty swell gear too.
“I actually started off selling old vintage shoes,” Chung told us while putting in a special-guest appearance last week at Truefitt & Hill Bangkok, the swanky traditional men’s barbershop at Central Embassy.
“After I got out of the army” – the requisite two-year stint – “I started a small business. I would fly to Aranyaprathet and go to the Rong Kluea Market and bring back old shoes to sell in Singapore. But that business didn’t work out so well.
“While I was figuring out my next move I started to become interested in caring for and restoring shoes. And because I had a lot of free time on my hands, I got to practise a lot and I looked for information from many different sources. Soon after that I decided to open a shoeshine bar.”
Mason and Smith isn’t the classic scene from an old Hollywood movie, with gentlemen in suits and ties perched on barber’s chairs having their shoes scrubbed. There’s a lot more to it than that.
“The patrons are asked to take off their shoes, because the inside of the shoes and the sole also need be to be cared for,” Chung explained. “We do everything by hand – no machines. Hand shining, with a little push at each stroke, allows the cream to penetrate the leather, whereas a machine brushes off the cream because the wheel spins so fast. Using a machine you might get the shine, but you won’t get that ‘mirror-like effect’ you see when it’s done by hand. The leather will be fully moisturised, too.
“My favourite trick is to dab on a little water to loosen the cream, making it easy to spread and more delicate for the polishing,” Chung said. “It’s important to apply layers and layers of cream so the leather fully absorbs all the goodies in the cream. It’s a bit like doing a facial – first you clean then you moisturise. And it works better if you do it slowly, by hand, and with the best products you can find.
“It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it.”
Polishing can be done quickly or with more care according to the customer’s needs. An “Express” shine takes just 15 minutes, a “Regular” 45 minutes, and that’s when you get the “mirror” effect. Patrons certainly don’t need to feel in a hurry. While waiting they can slip into cosy bedroom slippers, lounge on a quilted sofa and enjoy a glass of whiskey.
Then there’s the “Smith’s Shine”, a truly high-end treatment. It’s a complete restoration service – cleaning, moisturising and disinfecting inside and out, guaranteed to restore their original look.
Suede shoes are brushed and cleaned to remove all the dirt and dust that’s accumulated over time, and then waterproofed with a protective spray.
The “Patina” service is designed to breathe new life into old shoes. You have the option of re-colouring the footwear in any tone you like, leather or suede, no matter how light or dark the original shade.
“Ideally you should polish your shoes every month, or more often depending on how often you wear them,” Chung suggested. “New shoes need to be moisturised too – maintenance should start with brand-new shoes. Don’t wait till your shoes are all torn and chipped.
“Also, after wearing your shoes all day, don’t put them in a box or the closet right away. Let them dry out first, let the sweat evaporate. And, because leather shoes breathe through both the top and bottom, lay them out sideways to maximise the air flow.”
Chung also cleans and polishes high heels, briefcases, wallets and even leather book covers, with prices starting at Bt1,500.
And Mason and Smith stocks products from European luxury leather-care brands Saphir, Burgol and TURMS, from shoe trees and shoe creams to waxes and even handmade horsehair brushes.
GLIDE FOR YOUR SLIDE
In Singapore, visit Mason & Smith’s Shoe Shine Bar at 55B Boat Quay, above the London Bar. Find out more at (+65) 9296 1462 and www.MasonAndSmith.com.
John Chung will be back soon for another visit to Truefitt & Hill at Central Embassy. For details, call (098) 363 6146, e-mail [email protected] or check www.Facebook.com/truefittandhillbkk.
