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Sevierville cobbler looking for someone to step into his shoes

The owner of Beehive Shoe Repair in Sevierville is looking to retire and sell his business. He worries no one will take on the trade.

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — A Sevierville man runs one of the last shoe repair businesses in the area, and after 40 years, he's looking for someone to fill his shoes.

It takes steady hands and a good soul to repair somebody else's sole.

"It's something you'll never get rich at, but it's something if you like to work with your hands, you can see what you've done, and it's a good trade to get into," Johnny Price, the owner of Beehive Shoe Repair, said.

Price stepped into leather work more than 40 years ago.

"Just been doing what I love to do every day since then," Price smiled.

His shop had to close for months at a time last year. Price lost his mother and was in and out of the hospital.

"It was a rough year, but the Lord got us through it," Price explained.

The community started to think he closed up shop, but his daughter started a Facebook page to show off his skills.

"So we were just trying to let people know here and so I put it on Facebook and Dad's just a viral sensation," Jessica Mintz, Price's daughter said.

Now they're hoping the videos they post will spark an interest in the younger generation.

"It's just a trade that's unfortunately dying away, but it doesn't need to be," Price explained.

Price is trying to sell his shoe repair business, and is even willing to train the new owner. This way, one day there will be someone to walk in his shoes.

"Nobody wants to take over the shoe repair shops," Price explained. "And so they just end up closing down and there's nobody carrying on the tradition."

After all, the requirements are simple.

"You need to love the Lord and you need to love what you're doing," Price advised.

Beehive also does luggage repair and leather work. The shop is open Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.

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