Chris Avila was a walking advertisement at the Latin Grammy Awards in November at Mandalay Bay — literally. He was sporting a pair of shoes he designed and made himself. He nicknamed them “Notorious.” “They’re metallic silver and gold snakeskin — real edgy, real rock ‘n’ roll. People saw them and they were just going nuts. Every time I get invited to a party or event, I just make up a quick sketch for a pair of shoes.” And then he makes them. Posh kicks like “Notorious” are just one of the perks of being a partner in Eagle Shoe Repair on West Charleston Boulevard. That’s where Avila also does everything from make and repair shoes to fix precious jewelry to nip and tuck prom dresses into perfect shape. He opened the business in the middle of 2010 — not exactly boom times. But it turned out to be good timing for a shop that encourages people to give a little TLC to their favorite things. “In this economy, it seems people are more likely to repair what they have rather than dispose of it and buy new. Even the younger generation, especially if it’s something that’s costly or has memories attached to it,” Avila says. But the repair life has its share of thrills, too. Avila tells the story of an actress who brought in her cocktail dress — or what was left of it, anyway. “The thing was just ripped apart into pieces,” Avila recalls. “She had partied a bit too hard and really messed it up. It was a pretty touchy process, but we brought it back to life.” That was a six-week job of reconstructing fragile beading and delicate chiffon. One way to get people to take care of their stuff: Get it custom-made in the first place. “There’s something about getting custom-made shoes that people love,” Avila says. “Part of it is getting to choose the color and the leather, but there’s something about knowing it was made just for you. When people get something custom-made, it’s like they’re ready for the next stage of life. After they get their first pair of custom shoes, they don’t go back. From then on, everything else they get has to be custom-made, too.” In other words, spare the landfill — and spoil yourself a little.
Profile: Chris Avila on making it acustom order
