Photos and story by Andre Frois
“The name actually came from a turn of phrase my father used to use – ‘like a blind cobblers thumb’ – when describing anyone with a big red nose,” enlightens The Blind Cobbler’s founding director Steven Rogers. “His reasoning was a blind cobbler would repeatedly hit his thumb, hence swell and turn red. He was always a big footwear fan and always said if he owned a shoe shop that was what it would be called. However, since opening, its clear from people’s jokes that the number of uses of this phrase is quite extensive – but if it brings a smile to our customers faces, then we’ll take that too!” He chirps at the opening of his stylish new boutique at the nook of Ann Siang and Club Street.
“I first started talking to friends about the need for men’s shoes in Singapore based on my own desire to wear high-quality, well-priced, fashionable shoes, which I was previously purchasing back in Europe,” the avid sportsman recounts. “The conversation led to the introduction to Simon, my co-founder, who also expressed the same concerns and interests.”
A self-professed lover of brogues and suede tassle loafers, Rogers admits that his penchants for layers and colours in his suits usually lead him to buying more shoes. His swanky new split-level boutique that occupies the upper floors of 98 Club Street presently carry brands like Grensons, Hudsons and Swear. As for his addiction to watches, he currently owns a Rolex Deepsea, a Panerai Luminor in ceramic black, a Panerai Daylight, a Cartier Santos 100, a Rolex Daytona, a Zenith El Primero Pilot, and just placed an order for an IWC Top Gun.
“We both have varied backgrounds – I work in medicine and Simon works in digital media. We own other businesses in Singapore, but wondered if we could take on a new project that we were both so passionate about. We got our heads together over a few glasses of wine, shared some ideas, did some market research and started the ball rolling. Conception of the idea to doors opening took us around 5 months. The other two partners came in after we had started the shop design and construction.Their input was mostly as a sounding board, but today they are just as passionate about the brands we stock and making our customers happy.
Filed under: Style & Accessories Tagged: The Blind Cobbler
