When was the last time you saw a shoe shine guy?

[jon-nyc]

Granted I don’t walk around Wall Street during the day much, so there may still be a few. But remember when they were sort of everywhere? In cities at least.

Even at airports I don’t see them anymore.

[Mik]

Yeah, with casual dress there's not so much need anymore.

[89th]

Airports. Still see them at times.

Funny, yesterday at the Saint Paul train depot, we passed one of those built-in shoeshine stands and my son was asking about it.

[bachophile]

No, but I passed through Hong Kong airport enroute to Australia many moons ago and got a foot massage. Better than shoeshine.

[Renauda]

Last time I saw one around here was when I was in elementary school. He used to ply his trade outside of a popular newsstand and smoke shop located in the middle of downtown. In winter, he had a corner inside the shop - he always seemed busy.

The very last time I saw a street shoe shiner was in downtown Denver about 16 years ago.

[Axtremus]

Expensive hotels (by local standards) overseas.

In my neighborhood, I can still get shoes shined by a shoe repair shop, just that instead of me sitting on a high chair wearing the shoes while they get shined, instead I hand the shoes over the counter to the shopkeeper then come back to collect them a few days later. It's a one-man-shop, so technically the shopkeeper is the "shoe shine guy" and I do see that "shoe shine guy" face-to-face; just that he also does many other things like repairing all sorts of shoes, bags, luggages, outer wears, and running a shop.

The classical "shoe shine guys" that I used to see at a local airport and a local ground transportation hub, I don't see them anymore after the COVID-19 pandemic.

[LuFins Dad]

Saw one at the Washington Club a few weeks ago. Bathroom attendant, too.

[Horace]

Today at Union Station

[Mik]

Curiously they still have the chairs at CVG, but they are unstaffed. All the hotels out here in Vegas have them.

[jon-nyc]

I remember short lines at O’Hare waiting for one to open up.

[Mik]

I used to use them quite a bit when I flew in suits and dress shoes. No more.

[jon-nyc]

I still occasionally fly in a suit when I have a meeting in Boston or DC, but nowhere else. If I saw a shoe shine guy I’d probably use him, especially after this thread put it back in my mind. It’s not like I shine them myself. Though I’ll wipe them with a towel at a hotel.

[LuFins Dad]

@Horace said in When was the last time you saw a shoe shine guy?:

Today at Union Station

Are you in town?