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Behind the growing success of online sales giants, there are sometimes businesses in great difficulty and fragile lives. The last shoemaker in Médoc is fighting to save his workshop, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. He had to decide to launch a fundraiser, which triggered a vast outpouring of solidarity.
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Jean-Michel Carpentey has been repeating the same gesture for almost 20 years. This shoemaker from Médoc (Gironde) remains focused on his machines. And yet, he knows that this artisanal know-how risks disappearing, because his activity has slowed down significantly. “In 2006, there were just over 50 pairs per day. I ended up with 20 pairs a week. It was very complicated“, confides the shoemaker.
With 14,000 euros of debt, he has been in receivership for a year. The fault, according to him, is a new way of consuming shoes. Some sites, for example, display pairs for 17 euros or even 12 euros. While repairing a pair in this store can cost 25 euros. For some, the choice is quickly made. “There is the situation which means that people buy shoes at garage sales and on sites for 3 euros per pair. And then we prefer to buy a new pair rather than have them repaired.“, explains Jean-Michel Carpentey.
So, to get out of it, he launched a fundraiser on the Internet : “Save the last shoemaker in Médoc”. Result: 2,490 euros collected in three months. The village’s customers are attached to their shoemaker. “It’s useful, we must keep it above all“, proclaims a regular customer.”I was a craftsman too, so I know what it is. It’s hard, it’s not easy“, continues a second customer.
First weekend of November, the prize pool increased by another 500 euros and is now approaching 3,000 euros. Enough to give a little hope to shoemakers while the commercial court will rule on its fate on November 25 by deciding on a reprieve or a definitive closure.
