"For many of its staff, the job is a "side hustle," its owner says. Staff have polished the footwear of thousands of clients, including prime ministers, former premiers, former mayors, and men and women who work in executive suites of banks and law firms, according to the company's president, CEO and owner, Jenny Young. Young said she loves how "old timey" the business is and she doesn't plan on slowing down any time soon."
""At some point every year, in the 23 years that I've been doing this, somebody says to me: 'Oh, this is a dying art. This isn't going to last.' And it always has," Young said in an interview at the company's shoe shine shop at Fairmont Royal York hotel. "There is always going to be a need for someone to clean shoes. We all wear them.""
Penny Loafers Shoe Shine Company Inc. opened in 1994 and operates three locations in downtown Toronto, including at the Fairmont Royal York hotel. The workforce is predominantly women who work in creative fields such as acting, writing and music. Many employees treat the role as a side hustle and rely on flexible scheduling to accommodate auditions and gig work. The company has polished footwear for thousands of clients, including prime ministers, premiers, mayors and executives from banks and law firms. The owner values the traditional, 'old timey' nature of shoe shining and maintains that the practical need for cleaned shoes endures.
Read at www.cbc.ca
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