Unlaced is glad to share this article by MR.
Sustainably minded footwear brand Veja has opened its first store in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn at 111 North 5th Street, the first shop in the United States to feature an in-house cobbler and cobbler station. The French-certified B-Corp company has one other location in the United States, also in New York City on Manhattan’s Mulberry Street, and other shops in France, Germany, and Spain.
The new 2,300-square-foot space features the site’s original brick walls, concrete floors, and wooden ceilings, contrasted with new wooden benches and plaster displays. Office JDY architects designed the site.
Over the last few years, Veja has been slowly opening in-house cobblers in Europe as it opens new stores. The cobblers repair all sneakers and shoes from any brand, and to date, have already repaired 20,000 shoes. The in-house cobbler will be in the shop doing repairs Wednesday through Sunday.
Veja is also committed to lengthening the lifecycle of footwear and apparel with Clean, Repair, Collect, its ever-growing cobbler program that repairs old sneakers from any brand to keep them functional and out of landfills. Veja co-founder Sèbastien Kopp has stated, “The most sustainable shoes are the ones you already wear.” The aim is to offer customers the option to clean and repair their shoes and sneakers, extending their lifespan, or to collect them for recycling if they cannot be repaired.
