From New York Fashion Week to Fresno shoe repair shop

At Sierra Shoe Repair in Fresno, Arsen Georgio Sheklian carries on the tradition of caring for all manner of footwear and other leather products.

He continues to re-glue heels on nondescript footwear because his late father — George “Georgio” Sheklian — believed no job was too small. Maybe a customer couldn’t afford a new pair of shoes, he would say.

The younger Sheklian also repairs $1,000 Japanese shoes belonging to American customers. The Fresno business got the repair contract after creating a buzz with original leather creations at New York Fashion Week.

“Do the best you can, and people will find you,” the elder Sheklian would say.

Sierra Shoe Repair — in the shopping center on the northwest corner of Blackstone and Sierra avenues — deals with custom leather repairs and creations for customers from New York to Hawaii. Original creations are produced under the name Georgio’s and Son.

The elder Skeklian opened Sierra Shoe Repair in Fresno in 1963. He was killed during a robbery of a nearby gun store in December 2014.

Arsen Sheklian — who is also a professional musician in Europe — has earned the title of Leather Master Craftsman. “I’m a perfectionist, and it’s nice to have that validation,” he says.

The websites are sierrashoerepair.com and georgiosandson.com.

This story was originally published March 30, 2017 at 4:41 PM with the headline "From New York Fashion Week to Fresno shoe repair shop."