DETROIT (WXYZ) — A shoe cleaning and repair business in Detroit is currently shut down after getting robbed twice in just three days.
The owner of the Shoe Doctor on Livernois Avenue says between the shoes stolen and the damage to the building he's out nearly $75,000.
In 2013, Detroit native Kenneth Taylor built his shoe business because he saw a need.
"It started out of the trunk of my car and 10 years ago, shoe repair shops didn't accept gym shoes. So moving forward, the culture turned and everyone became sneakerheads and the value of shoes started tripling," said Taylor, the owner of the Shoe Doctor.
His business is basically a dry cleaning service, but for your shoes. He owns three locations — one in Detroit, one in Roseville and one in Atlanta, Georgia.
Taylor's customer base often trusts him with some very pricey footwear.
"We service everybody. We offer nothing but deep cleans. You get your shoes from the bottom to the top, around ankles and laces clean for a flat fee," he said.
On Wednesday, his booming Detroit business came to a screeching halt.
Three people busted into his shop, taking over $25,000 worth of shoes.
He was set to reopen Friday, but it happened again. Taylor says they basically took all that was left.
"This is beyond me. I mean, I service the community. I can't believe this is happening," Taylor said.
Dylan Banks' Jordan 11s were taken during the heist.
"For us (Detroit) to vandalize what he's done, it's upsetting because he's a Black man, he works hard for this. He does this on his own," said Banks. "We got to do better as Detroit, as a city, as a vibe, as a whole because it's going to a place we don't want it to go."
Now with the second break-in, Taylor is out tens of thousands of dollars.
"This is customer shoes, lots of customer shoes, loyal customer shoes and you don't get the insurance money right away, so I have to pay these people out of pocket," Taylor said.
So far, Taylor's customers have been understanding and he certainly has Banks' respect.
"I give you your flowers, man. Don't let this ruin your day," Banks said.
The Shoe Doctor is on the historic Avenue of Fashion. Taylor says he pays good money to rent this space.
Now with back-to-back break-ins and no arrests, he's considering moving his business elsewhere.
