Morneau Shoe Repair

 As with the trade of tailors, cobblers were more prevalent in the last century and prior. One of the notable ones in Holyoke was the Morneau Shoe Repair and Service Shop. 

Norbert Morneau, a native of Saint-Jean-Chrysostome, Quebec, Canada, was born in 1876. When he was fifteen years old, his family settled in Lowell, Massachusetts, where he lived for thirteen years. Upon arriving, he learned the shoe repair trade and began working in the shoe factories. 

In 1904, he left Lowell and settled at 77 Parsons Street in Easthampton, Massachusetts. For a short time, he worked at the Hampton Company. 

In 1906, he was listed in the Holyoke City Directory as employed as a shoemaker at 106 High Street. On May 1, 1906, he opened a shoe repair business at 765 Dwight Street. The business addresses listed in City Directories from 1907 to 1915 were 768 or 770 Dwight Street, and from 1916 to 1955, 761 or 765 Dwight Street. The locations were all near Pine and Dwight Street.

He worked 16-hour days until he reached age 60, and at age 80, he continued working 7 hours a day.

In 1943, Homer Morneau, son of Norbert Morneau, joined the business. For the previous eighteen years, he was a supervisor at the world's largest shoe repair business. This was located on 34th Street in New York City and employed 54 people.

On May 2, 1955, 49 years after opening his first shoe repair shop, the operation moved to the Phoenix Building at 600 Dwight Street. Norbert Morneau partnered with his sons, Homer and Wilmer, who handled most of the responsibilities.

The business expanded its line of available services beyond those related to shoes. Zippers, straps, or bindings were repaired or replaced; luggage and handbags were repaired or reglazed; orthopedic prescriptions were filled; some services were provided while the customer waited; and cost estimates were provided. In time, scissors and knife sharpening services were added.

On June 21, 1957, Norbert Morneau died. His shoe repair business spanned 51 years. Homer and Wilmer Morneau continued on, and for a time, only Homer Morneau remained.

In 1968, the company celebrated 62 years in business, and Homer partnered with another brother, Ronald, who had just closed his shoe repair business, which had been operated in the basement of the Childs Shoe Store.

The shop was sold in May 1971 to Tony D'Orazio, the son of a shoemaker. The younger D'Orazio had twelve years of experience in the field.

Citations:

Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates and pages are shown.

Holyoke Public Library History Room, Price & Lee City Directories, Holyoke, Massachusetts.