Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we offer our opinions on the best that Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems.)
At the end of every long Colorado winter, I treat my soles to a little self-care.
After several months of traipsing through dingy slush and teetering precariously across unshoveled Denver sidewalks, my thermal Blundstone Chelsea boots look wrecked. And at nearly $250/pair, I bought these boots to last me for many city winters — which makes upkeep important.
So every May, I drop my boots at Rhine’s Shoe & Boot Repair in Uptown for a little TLC.
Stepping into this shop is a visceral experience — the smell of shoe polish, the blues playing in the background, the walls covered in fading clips from decades-old issues of the Rocky Mountain News. And then, from the back of the room, out steps Tommy Rhine.
A cobbler in Denver for more than 40 years, Rhine — now in his 70s — is a man of few words, but his work speaks for itself. Over the last five years, he’s rescued nearly a dozen pairs of my heavily worn shoes, from a typical clean/polish/condition to new custom heels and replacing worn-out soles entirely. Oxfords, chukkas, heavy winter boots — he’s fixed them all and always charges less than I expect for such craftsmanship. (Note: The shop doesn’t take credit or debit cards, so bring cash.)
Related Articles
The Bull & Bush is always there when you need it
Colorado’s dry pepper blends are edging out hot sauces in my kitchen
This special spot at Denver International Airport can be soothing for weary travelers
This awesome day-hike is just 40 minutes from metro Denver
Cooler Colorado weather calls for Vietnamese beef noodle soup. (And no, I’m not talking about pho.)
This longtime, Black-owned business is infused with Denver history, but it’s Rhine’s incredible skill — nay, art — that made a frequent customer out of me. This year, now that the cold has arrived in Denver, I’ll be taking my summer soles in for a refresh, too.
If your boots are looking rough, drop them at Rhine’s to get them prepped for the long winter ahead. You’ll be shocked at how great they look after a few days in Rhine’s care — and you’ll be supporting a business that, if lost, would take a little piece of Denver history with it.
Rhine’s Shoe & Boot Repair, 221 E. 17th Ave., 303-832-6345