Quality isn’t just the name that Lee Shumate has on the front of his shoe repair shop, it’s the way he does business.

“There’s no secret to shoe repair, anybody can do it. You just have to take pride in what you do,” Shumate, 69, said. “Fix everybody’s shoes the way you would want them to be fixed.”

That philosophy seems to be working just fine for Shumate since Quality Shoe Shop’s doors have been open for more than half a century, specializing in sole and heel repair but also doing a bit of belt and suspender work and even leather jacket repair.

The shop itself is quaint, but functional. The distinct smell of shoe polish nips the nose upon entering with a shoe shine stand reminding customers of what few services Shumate doesn’t offer anymore. Pictures line the walls, faded with time but still proudly displaying the smiles of Shumate’s family and friends. The space where work was once performed exclusively by hand is now crowded with over-sized buffers, sewing machines and nail machines. They are all old but still perfectly functional and the customers have to pitch their voice just a little louder to be heard over the screech of the buffer’s motor.

“I really like my work,” Shumate said matter-of-factly, who began to discover his love of shoe repair when he became the apprentice of his father, J.B., at age 13. He would continue to be an apprentice until he was 18, when heart problems would force his father to retire and Shumate to take over the reins of the shop.

“I really wanted to open my own shop,” Shumate said. “I never thought I would own Quality.”

But take over he did and since 1958 Shumate officially became the owner. Since then, the shop has hopped around to a few locations but has always stayed downtown. He’s been able to keep dedicated customers.

“Last week I fixed the shoes of a fifth generation customer,” Shumate said.

But with many shoe manufacturers making their products with cheaper materials recently, it has changed the face of Shumate’s business a little.

“That’s shoe repair,” he said, lifting up a pair of leather-soled shoes.

“This is not shoe repair,” he continued, pointing to a pair of rubber-soled work boots. “Shoe repair is a lost art, in my opinion. Most shoes are made to be thrown away these days.”

But sanding down heels and restitching soles isn’t really what Shumate is in business for anyway.

“I enjoy people. I meet people in all different walks of life,” Shumate said. “It doesn’t matter if they were a carpenter or an attorney, just about any professional man has walked through my door over the years. I enjoy making that connection.”

Much like the car he drives, Shumate said, you can judge a man by the shoes he wears.

“I love western boots because I really like the outdoors,” he said.