There is always the possibility that you will damage your essentials. You wouldn’t be the only one to have a hole in your sole. What if you want to fix these, where do you go? Luckily, there is a strip that houses this specific type of business in Cebu City, a street you can call the cobbler capital of Cebu or the sole-searching station sa Sugbo where hard working men patch up some kicks with a simple needle and thread.
Junquera Street in Barangay Kamagayan is home to several repair and printing shops. These stores have been operating in downtown Cebu for decades and are very well known among Cebuanos. They were even awarded the Best Public Shoe Repair by Sunstar’s Best of Cebu in 2017. Men are seen hard at work replacing the soles of broken shoes, while other items like umbrellas and bags hang in their shops, waiting to be fixed.
This is a special place for people on a budget. These cheap repair shops will charge you less than the ones you find in malls. The quality may be less premium, but you’ll be using those old shoes in no time if you have them checked by these Kamagayan Cobblers.
Getting there is pretty easy. You can ride a public utility vehicle going either to Colon or the University of San Carlos on P. Del Rosario Street. You can access it through the street between the Super Metro shopping mall and the Cebu Business Hotel. It is located on the left side of USC, across the V-Hire Terminal.
1. Biggest Shoe Repair business in Cebu City
Junquera’s most popular service is shoe repair. Shoes are sewn by experienced cobblers who have been fixing shoes for a long time. The types of shoes that they can fix vary from sneakers to loafers to running shoes.
These cobblers use thread and needles to patch up the different parts of the shoes that have holes or tears. Their quality is consistent and reliable, and your shoes will look like they have never been broken.
If the outsole of your shoe is starting to separate from the upper part, then they can sew it shut. If the sole is completely removed, they can patch it back up or replace it with a new one. They have a bunch of soles that will fit any shoe size.
There are some that use a sewing machine to make the job faster, so that they can get a more accurate and clean stitch. Some cobblers don’t work alone, either. They have assistants to make their job much faster.
2. Bag and Umbrella Repair
A shoe repair shop in Junquera is not a one-trick pony. They don’t limit themselves to what you wear on your feet, they also include the things on your back and shoulders.
You can bring your broken backpack, sling bag, pouch, or the like to fix the straps and zippers. If you have a bag with a torn strap, they can reconnect it for you. If you have a broken zipper, they can replace it and attach a new one.
During the rainy season, you are going to use your umbrella a lot. Sometimes, the cloth in the umbrella will be torn, or the bars will snap. Luckily, you can have these fixed in Junquera as well. This would be very convenient, especially since rain is very prominent in the Philippines.
If the strap that closes the umbrellas doesn’t stick, they can replace the velcro or add a more secure clip. This will make it easier for you to carry the umbrella without thinking that it will open up unexpectedly. You will be able to storm through the rain in no time.
3. Printing Services
For those who opt for budget marketing, you can also avail printing services. There are shops in Junquera that allow you to print posters and tarpaulins for your business or upcoming event.
You can even ask for bulk printing of shirts. You can buy plain shirts in other stores and just bring them along with a digital copy of the shirt’s design and have it printed there.
There are many companies that would avail of the t-shirt printing service, and there are many samples that are hung outside for customers to see. If you’re picky, you can check the sample prints they have hung at their stores to find the most satisfying quality.
In case you want to see other products, some stores already have accounts on social media to show the things that they have fixed before. Take a look at these web pages and you might be surprised by the things that they can fix for you.
There is a list of companies in Cebu that can fix your sneakers and make them look like you just recently bought them off the shelf. If you can’t spend a lofty amount for that, then there are stores in Junquera to satisfy your needs.
If you want a souvenir from your time visiting Cebu City, have one of those things done, and you will definitely remember your stay. Junquera Street should be on the list of places to travel in Cebu City because of its practicality and quality. The repair business in Cebu City has been very prominent ever since the 70s. Its longevity is a testament to why this business will never go away as long as we continue to use the items they repair for years to come.