Business of 'reviving' old shoes
In one of the darkest and most obscure nooks behind a row of buildings on the other side of Norzim Lam, opposite the Clock Tower Square in Thimphu, is a small compartment lit by a florescent bulb that hardly dispel all the darkness. In that compartment sits a tallish young man of 20 and some 30 pairs of shoes, mostly ragged and worn-out. Dawa Dakpa, a college dropout, works with his two colleagues at Shoe Vival - a shoe washing and refurbishing service centre - first of its kind in Bhutan. On one side of the wall hangs the ornately framed certificate that testifies their professionalism.
Shoe Vival doesn't reek of leather and dirt as do most cobbler's booths in the town because it is no cobbler's booth. It is a clean little place where footwear in bad state of repair receives not only stitch and glue but also washing and sterilization.
"Temperature has to be right. We can't do both washing and drying at the same temperature. We do the drying in the attic at a different temperature,' says Dawa.
Dawa studied in Sainik School, Orissa, India. Later, he went to Bangalore to pursue BSc Nursing, but did not graduate.
"I got into serious drinking habit, which is why I could not complete my graduation,' he says in a muted tone that suggests regret. However, after returning home, he found many jobless youth loitering in the town. It dawned on him then that he should do something on his own.
Just then, the third round of Loden Foundation's entrepreneurial projects of November 2010 came by. Dawa submitted his proposal for a shoe laundry service, which got selected. Among 11 other selected projects were Jigme Drukpa's Ayang Music School, Sangay Tshering's Mobs & Condoms, and Wangchuk Kuenga's Farmer's Store.
"I don't want to prove anyone anything by doing this business. There is always discouragement from family and friends. But, this is how I have chosen to stand on my own feet, so to speak,' said Dawa.
Shoe Vival gives free pick-up and delivery services to its customers till Dechencholing and Namseling areas.
Sandeep Gajakas of The Shoe Laundry, Mumbai, who trained Dawa in the art of shoe-cleaning, believes that this business model works due to its simplicity. "Everybody wears shoes; they get dirty and need repairs. Somebody has got to do it nicely,' he said.
When Dawa contacted Sandeep with the proposal, he wasn't sure if there was going to be a market at all. In the meantime, he started doing research and tried to understand the market potential of Thimphu. If he had any doubts earlier, said Sandeep, all of them vanished after he came to Bhutan and saw the lifestyle of the youth here.
"I honestly did not expect the kind of night life that I saw there. The youth are fashion conscious and willing to spend on products and services,' he said.
"But he will have to work hard to ensure that he maintains the quality levels we have specified. This will ensure that customers will continue to come back and refer it to others.'
Sandeep Gajakas started the first laundry service for shoes way back in 2004. It specializes in cleaning, washing and repairing of sports shoes through a 1s-step process. The Shoe Laundry and Shoe Vival are in a business collaboration in a franchise format.
"You might find it like a filthy job, but he deserves all the applaud and support for choosing to do what no one's done (professionally), at least in your country. It takes courage to do it,' said Sandeep Gajakas.
Source: Bhutan Observer