It sounds like a cliche or marketing blurb to say it, but when you need shoes repaired, Tony Zapatero really is the best in Ronda, and the friendliest too, his large frame fills the store, and his gentle giant smile immediately disarms you, jokes and laughs are shared.

Located at Calle Sevilla 42, Ronda’s second shopping street, Tony’s shop doesn’t immediately strike you as being a place where shoes are repaired, the window is filled with suitcases and handbags, but look to the right of the door and you’ll see where Tony’s heart lies; you should see a stone carving embedded in the wall featuring a cobbler making shoes.

Tony is proud of his profession, and scattered around the shop you’ll see several statuettes of cobblers hard at work, but Tony explains that making shoes to order is a hard business and the demand just isn’t there anymore. However, like any true professional, Tony still has all the equipment needed, so you know he can repair just about any fault, from heels and soles, to new buckles, studs and clasps, he can even stitch leather.

Along with his wife, Tony Zapatero also mends clothes, they don’t just lift the hem on trousers, they can also adjust sleeves, the length of shirts, fix buttons and zips, and for a very affordable price too, in fact as much as half the price you might pay in the UK. The quality of workmanship isn’t cheap, Tony simply has less operating expenses than his contemporaries in Northern Europe.

Standing at Tony’s shop counter you can’t help notice the range of products he carries, a huge supply of blank keys waiting to be cut, replacement garage door and electric gate remotes, leather products from Ubrique, top name shoe shine brands, spare shoe laces, ladies handbags, watch batteries, and the huge selection of affordable suitcases.

The day I visited Tony’s shop I went with a friend who knows her handbags and luggage, well, it was lucky for her she’d left her purse in the office and only met me for a coffee, I’m certain her credit card would have taken a beating, and as for me, well I’m in need of a new black leather belt, but luckily for me my friend kept cooing over the handbags and asking my opinion.

Brand name items are stocked in Tony’s shop, in fact Tony takes a great deal of pride in sourcing quality items for his customers, for example shoe polish is supplied from the UK and Germany, Tony explains “If you want the brightest shine and best protection for your shoes, you need the best product”.

Photos in Tony Zapatero’s Shop in Ronda