Albrighton couple hanging up their shoes after serving four generations
They have kept generations of families in perfectly fitting shoes but after 38 years Charles and Hilary Smith have closed their shop for the last time.
The couple, who have run Hilary Smith the Shoe Shop in Albrighton since 1980, were presented with life membership of Albrighton Civic Society as a thank you for their commitment to the town.
A certificate to mark their efforts was handed over by Peter Woodman, chairman of Albrighton and District Civic Society.
Mr and Mrs Smith, who are 70 and 69 respectively, moved to the town from the Wirral and took over the shop from previous owner Mrs Powell – who had run the shop herself for more than 30 years.
Mr Smith said they had intended to retire five years ago, but had decided to keep going.
He said: "My wife and I discussed my retirement and the plans we made were that I would retire at 65 but look, all good plans of mice and men and all that, when I got to 65 I just couldn't do it.
"I was healthy, I had such a good time here and there are certain families where I am on the fourth generation of fitting their shoes, you do not just throw that away willy nilly."
Mr Smith said the shop had been up for sale as a going concern for four years but despite considerable interest there had been no one ready to take the plunge.
He said: "We were planning to close in October last year but so many people were wanting to buy things so we put it off and put it off."
Mr Smith said he was not sure people had the same interest in setting up and running a shop in this day and age, hence the dwindling number of independent shoe shops.
He said: "The reason there are so few is exactly what has happened here with me. I took over this business when I was 32 and we have worked damned hard, not made millions, but we made a comfortable living.
"I think these days 32-year-olds do not have the money to buy a business, they do not want to buy a business, and do not want to put the effort into it."
With the increasing rise of internet shopping Mr Smith also explained why you cannot beat being measured for a pair of shoes.
He said: "When you have children, if you want their feet to be perfect, as we all want them to be, you do not buy shoes over the internet, you have them measured and fitted."
