Buster’s gets a new spot
A beloved shoe repair shop, once believed destined to become a Santa Monica memory after being evicted from its spot at the foot of the Nu Wilshire Theater, has found a new home.
Buster’s Shoe Repair, which spent 80 years as a neighborhood fixture on Wilshire Boulevard, recently signed a lease with Community Corporation of Santa Monica to re-open its shop at Pacific Court, an affordable mixed-use complex that opened on Main Street last fall.
“It was very wonderful when I heard that we were going to get that place on Main Street,” shop owner Robert Goli said on Monday. “Everyone tells me that I got a good location.”
Goli had been looking for a space to relocate his shoe repair business since he received an eviction notice from Landmark Theaters that he had to vacate the premises by Oct. 31. Landmark, which operated the theater, subleased two retail spaces out front, one to Buster’s, the other to a jewelry store.
The property owner, listed as Soundview Investment Partners, is planning to transform the old theater into several retail spaces. The Nu Wilshire Theater was recently designated a city landmark, precluding the owner from removing several elements, including the marquis and patterned terazzo-style floor.
Long-time patrons of Buster’s Shoe Repair came out in support of the long-time mom and pop business after learning that it might have to move out of Santa Monica, saying it was indicative of the trend of small businesses being pushed out due to high rents.
Jeff Jarow, a broker at PAR Commercial Brokerage, connected Goli with the site at Pacific Court, which is located on the corner of Main and Pacific streets.
“To me, it’s a good match to put them on Main Street, back into another community where we would like to see more mom and pops on the street,” Jarow said.
Goli, who vacated the space on Wilshire at the end of January, said he began to believe the business would never find a home in Santa Monica because many of the spaces were unaffordable. A move outside of the Westside could’ve spelled doom for Buster’s, Goli said.
“If I had to go farther, than I wouldn’t have (continued),” Goli said. “That’s why I wanted to stay in Santa Monica — if I moved far away, I would’ve lost all my clients.”
Main Street might suit Goli even better than Buster’s old location since the majority of the business’ clientele comes from Venice.
Goli comes from a long-line of shoe repairman.
Family patriarch Gabriel Goli purchased Buster’s Shoe Repair about 20 years ago in an effort to bring in extra income to support the family’s other business, Goli Shoe Repair in Redondo Beach. The elder Goli, who passed away 10 years ago, and his five brothers all learned the trade from their father. Each brother opened their own shop in the L.A. area, including ones in Brentwood, Beverly Hills and Burbank. Goli Shoe Repair was established 45 years ago and is still going strong.
For now, Robert Goli is working out of the Redondo Beach store until Buster’s on Main Street is ready to resume business, something Goli hopes will happen soon.
“It’s going to be a lot more modern and more fancy,” Goli said.
Jump hedline: Buster’s to go back in business
Suggested pullquote: “Everyone tells me that I got a good location.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 13, 2008. Read the original PDF.