Stay on top of breaking news!
Sign up for Channel 7 News e-mail alerts.
Little Rock -
These days most everyone is trying to find ways to save money. Repurposing or fixing up what you already have can be a lot cheaper than buying new.
Richard Barber’s Shoe Repair business in West Little Rock is booming with new customers coming in looking to spice up their old shoes.
(Richard Barber, Owner Cobblestone Quality Shoe Repair) “The repairs run maybe a third of what a new pair would run, that’s full soles and heals or something major. And if you did something minor, it would be even less of an expense. So you’re saving money.”
For $15, Josephine James says her old shoes can look like new.
(Josephine James, customer) “Whereas I might go to buy the pair of shoes I brought here and it might cost $50 to $75. With me being unemployed and the way the economy is, too, I think I’d rather get them fixed instead of going out and looking for a new pair.”
Shoes aren’t the only things being repaired here. Customers also bring in their luggage, belts, purses, and even some sports equipment. From small items to larger items, Arkansans are finding ways to fix up what they already have. Another idea: transforming old furniture – that would otherwise be tossed out -- into fabulous pieces.
(Tracy Rivers, Owner Angelfish Studios) “It’s all about taking what you already have and reclaiming it into a new look instead of going out and purchasing new items and putting them in. It just cuts the cost in half.”
Tracy Rivers is the owner of Angelfish Studios. She calls herself a “recessionista.”
(Rivers) “We are doing a lot of furniture, tons of cabinetry and kitchens where we just have a painted cabinet instead of just going in and repainting the whole cabinets people are saving tons of money by just having them glazed by us.”
Email To Friend 
Channel 7 News to leave comments on news stories.