By In a time filled with “end of eras,” Thursday afternoon was just a minor blip on the scale. But for people in the New Kensington area with shoes that need to be fixed, it was a major event. Gene Montemurro, savior of worn shoes, closed his Gene’s Shoe Repair on Fifth Avenue and retired after 66 years.
Mr. Montemurro, 83, decided to call it quits last summer after two masked teens robbed him of $300 and threw him to the floor. “Thank God they didn’t hurt me,” he said. “Money is no problem, money is OK, but if you hurt somebody or kill somebody, that’s a different story.” His family had been suggesting he retire for some time, but the June robbery was the final straw. There were four unsuccessful robbery attempts at his shop in 2014.
“We love what he does, and that’s something we have told people his entire life,” grandson Bill Wareham said. “His story is such a unique story of perseverance and prosperity. But as great as the story is, we have to know he’s safe. That’s where the family draws the line.”
Mr. Montemurro doesn’t retire without regret. “My business is like one big family,” he said. “I love my customers, and they love me. That’s why they are so loyal.”