Tony Bonczewski closing shoe repair shop, celebrates 91st birthday

WILKES-BARRE — Tony Bonczewski, the man who has repaired shoes since he was 15 years old, turns 91 today — Super Bowl Sunday — and he took time Saturday from cleaning out his Jordan National Show Repair shop on Public Square to reminisce and have a piece of birthday cake.

After 76 years, the veteran shoe repair man decided to lay down his tools and kick back a little.

Customer Barbara DiGiovanni and her husband, Dr. Vincent DiGiovanni, brought Bonczewski a birthday cake bedecked with candles and a couple of shoes, as Bonczewski blew out the candles and made a wish as “Happy Birthday” was sung.

“I can’t believe this day has arrived and Tony is retiring,” DiGiovanni said.

Last month, Bonczewski said it was time for him to retire.

“All I’ve done for all of my life is work, work, work,” he continued.

First up on his retirement to-do list will be to watch Super Bowl LV between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“I like (Tom) Brady,” Bonczewski said. “He’s still doing good for an old guy.”

Sound familiar?

Bonczewski says it will be Tampa Bat 28, Kansas City 22.

Bonczewski was sorting through items he found while cleaning out the shoe shop — a couple of rosary beads, a pouch with a ten dollar bill inside and a pair of stylish Italian leather boots.

“So many people have dropped off gifts, sent me cards or have called to wish me well,” Bonczewski said. “They almost made me cry,”

The inventory in the store has been removed and the heavy machinery that repaired so many shoes over the decades will be taken out next week.

And then it will be full-time retirement for Bonczewski.

“I got my first COVID shot the other day,” he said. “I go for the second one in three weeks.”

“I’d like to go back to Aruba, but I can’t go there now because of the pandemic,” the affable Bonczewski said. “I guess I’ll just take it day by day.”

Bonczewski said he will miss repairing shoes and he will miss the customers he served.

“My customers are loyal,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed what I do. I really mean that.”

The shop is located in the Bicentennial Building on Public Square, where Bonczewski has plied his trade for the last 44 years. Before that, he had a shop on North Main Street, next to the former Times Leader building, which he opened in 1962. And before that, he was learning his trade at other shops even before he graduated from Coughlin High School in 1947.

“I love this business,” Bonczewski said. “I love the people and the conversations day-in and day-out.”

Bonczewski said he loves to listen to Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, plus the oldies from the 1950s an 1960s.

When asked a year ago how long he would keep repairing shoes, Bonczewski said, “I’ll be here until the man upstairs takes me, or if the machines stop working.”

Not surprisingly, the machines were the first to go.

“I always wanted to walk out of here when I retired,” he said. “I got to do that.”