I’m really not a “high heels” person 👠…I can, but I will not wear one unless I have to. I’ve always been a boots/sneakers type of a womxn 🙋🏻♀️. Recently, my favorite all-adventure leather boots needed a repair. After all, it is more than 5 years old. Why not buy a new one? Let’s just say it’s hard to find and give up a “sole mate”. 😉 I’m just not ready to give this one up yet. So I searched for a shop in Kamala, but everyone I’ve asked said the shops have closed down since the pandemic.
I remember seeing a couple of shops in Old Phuket Town pre-COVID19 days, and so one weekend, we went there on a mission. First is to fix my boots, second is to shop for clothes to wear for a work event and also things we’ll be needing for the April holiday trip…and lastly, a good excuse for a weekend ’staycation’, a breather from the hectic post-exam week.
We went around on a moped and asked the locals for some recommendations. They all pointed to a shop located at the roundabout (Suriyadej Traffic Circle) in ”Talaat Yai” (big public market) along Ratsada Road, right across from a restaurant called Izakaya, just at the turning point to Bangkok Road. It’s easy to miss it if you can’t read Thai, but if you take the time to look, you’ll see faint pictures of shoes and bags on the signboard.
The shop is about 40 years old and is currently managed by a leather artisan, Khun Tee and his family. I spoke with my poor Thai language skills (still learning!), and I guess he knew at once that I am not Thai, although I look so Thai. Khun Tee asked where I was from. He spoke very little English, and somehow, we understood each other.
Being a foreigner living and working in Thailand, which I consider my second home— I always think that instead of expecting the locals to speak the language I am comfortable with (English), I have to adjust and learn to speak Thai instead. It is part of being respectful of my host country’s culture. Also, as a language teacher, it is humbling and refreshing to be in the ‘shoes’ of my students to know what it is like learning to speak a different language.
Click the image below to see more photos.
Repair Shop’s Name: จันทร์กระจ่าง
Read as: “Jan-krajang”, google translate says it means: ”clear moon” 🌝
Services: repair shoes, leather bags, and all types of leather items
Shop hours: Monday - Saturday: 7:30am-6:00pm; Sunday: 8:30am-12:00noon
Contact Number: 081-9702355 (speak Thai)
I went into the shop as they were about to close, so I got my restored boots back the following day, and I couldn't be any happier!
It is easier to buy new shoes in big malls, but I don’t want to miss out on meeting new people and, more importantly, supporting the local businesses. It’s great to know something about the community or their shop, which is also a part of the town’s ongoing history.
So if you are looking for a shop to fix your beloved “sole mate” in Phuket, the “Jan-krajang“ shop is the place to be!
x,
AJ
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