Two businesses have jointly leased space in a downtown Worcester building for 55 years. Now, both may be forced to relocate, because the building is going to be sold.
WORCESTER – Paul Jeannette has many stories to tell.
The boots he customized for rocker Bruce Springsteen allowed The Boss to slide across the stage at the Worcester Centrum without slipping.
Or the time a woman came to Janet asking if she could fix a pair of shoes for her brother quickly.
Janet happily does, and later discovers that the woman’s brother is legendary Celtic point guard Bob Cousy. He needed his shoes when he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in Washington, DC.
An autographed photo of Cousy hangs in Jeanette’s shop, a thank-you gift from Cousy for a job well done.
Jeannette has built a long list of stories in the cobbler business for nearly 40 years, the last 20 in a rented basement at 37 Mechanic St. downtown.
Genet, who now owns Central Shoe Repair, is faced with the choice of moving or closing the operation because 37 Mechanic St. could sell literally thousands of customers with properly fitted shoes.
Not waiting
While Jeanette isn’t sure what his next move will be, the other tenant on the land isn’t expecting a forced sale.
Ahmed Gaha owns Perfect Fit Tailoring and has rented space in the building for the past 35 years.
“I’m sad and happy,” Gha said of the building’s sale. “I’m sorry I’ve been here for so long. I am happy to have a new place.
GA’s new location is at the corner of 250 Commerce St. It is nearly double the size of the current space and will open for business October 1.
The right time
Now is the perfect time to sell the two-story building, said James Pietro, who owns 37 Mechanic St. with his brother, Paul, in the trust.
Because the transaction hasn’t closed, James Pietro declined to say who the buyer is.
Asked if the interested party would retain the current tenants, including the law firm Bodkin & Mason on the second floor, Pietro said, “I don’t know. “From what he’s told me, I think he’s interested in keeping the current tenants, but I don’t know for sure.”
PetroTrust bought the building 23 years ago, with an assessed value of $458,600, according to city records.
A fact of life
Janet and Gaha represent the reality of life – one constant change. In the real estate business, buildings are bought and sold.
Owners, tenants, and customers come and go, and all parties must adjust.
Worcester’s Larry Schettler should adjust if Jeannette leaves or retires. He has been bringing his shoes to Janet for the past 10 years.
On Friday, he brought down green hunting boots that needed sealed cracks to keep water out.
“(Jennett) has the right to retire, but it’s a shame. “We still need a good cobbler with his kind of skills,” Shetler said.
Across the ground floor, customer Leisha Lorenzo pops into Gha’s shop to do some work on clothes. Her family relies on summer workers to mend trousers, skirts and wedding dresses.
“I’m sad to see them move, but I’m sure whatever’s best for them, the customers will follow them wherever they go,” Lorenzo said.
Ga doesn’t look back.
He excitedly visited his new store, where he had signed a five-year lease, with an option for another five years.
“This seems to be my final destination. The 62-year-old Gaha is my last shot, and then it’s time to retire.
Options
If 37 Mechanic St. is sold and the lease is not renewed, retirement could be in the cards for Janet.
He’s 70, has more than enough business and can move somewhere nearby to run things.
Archives: A declining economy brings new business to old cobble stores
He is also thinking if he can teach a young man the finer points of the trade, he can stay for a year or two and then let that man take over the business.
It’s a family business since 1908 when Paolo Genet came from Italy and opened a shop on Front Street.
The second generation of Jeanettes – Paul and John – have run things in their shop on Foster Street for years and now the third generation is in charge.
In addition to Springsteen’s slip-on shoes, Janet has also customized the boots of other performers who wowed crowds at the former Centrum, including Neil Diamond and Pat Benatar. He made contact with all those stars from his former store at 183 Commercial St., where he stayed for 20 years before moving to Mechanic Street.
And the space where Jeannette has worked for the past twenty years is steeped in history, including an antique marble sandal sent from Italy by her late uncle, Salvatore Giametta.
Giametta would still be a family name if it weren’t for the Ellis Island authorities who changed it when the family arrived from Italy.
Up in the air
A lot is up in the air because Janet doesn’t know who the next owner of the building will be and if that person wants to stay or go.
Janet still loves shoe repair, but at this stage in her life, working 40 to 50 hours a week is a bit difficult.
There is much uncertainty about his next move, but Janet is confident of his deep bond with his customers.
“I made so many friends. They don’t want me to shut down,” he said.
Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @henrytelegram.
