Bruce Tremblay has opened the doors of his shoe repair shop every workday morning for over half a century. Today, he's closing them for the last time.

Tremblay, now 63, first started at the repair shop at the age of 12. He's had other jobs, other dreams, but cobbling remained his calling. "I always thought I'd be in here," he said.

Tremblay's Shoe Repair has occupied the corner of Fifth Street and Lakeshore Boulevard since 1929. Tremblay's grandfather, Wilfred, found himself booted into the cobbling business after the stock market crashed and a gold mine in Timmins, where he made a living, shut down.

Tremblay took over the business from his father. (Keith Burgess/CBC)

On the shop's penultimate day of business, regulars crowded the floor amid shelves lined with forgotten shoes and machinery that's been around for decades.

A sole stitcher and a finisher, both antiques, will go to trusted buyers. "It's all ancient," Tremblay said. Most of his equipment surpasses the hundred-year mark; Tremblay insists they only go to a good home.

In the five decades he's been behind the counter, Tremblay has served famous and infamous locals alike.

He's fixed skates for hockey players: David Boland, Brendan Shanahan and Paul Henderson, to name a few.

And he's patched up leather for a more notorious crew.

"I've sown tons of crests on for outlaws, Hell's Angels, Iron Hogs — everybody that's been in the neighbourhood," he said.

Tremblay even rose to the challenge of mending somebody's broken prosthesis. "I fixed a lady's leg once," he laughed. "It worked. She walked out of here."

Tremblay's daughters didn't want to take over the business, but Tremblay didn't let that stop him from retiring. (Keith Burgess/CBC)

As he works behind the counter, Tremblay tells stories to his customers, gathered in the shop for the last time. He recalled the first time his dad put him in charge.

"My dad, when I started working in here, he made me take care of the customers," Tremblay said. "He was getting older and crankier."

Despite the years of memorable encounters, Tremblay credits his everyday clients with offering the most support.

"Most of my celebrities are the neighbourhood," he said, gesturing to his gaggle of customers. "Believe it or not," he kids, "they're not as rough as they look."

Tremblay started out as a shoe shiner, working for his dad at the age of 12. (Keith Burgess/CBC)

One of the crowd stopped in to wish Tremblay well, reminding the beloved cobbler about the days when his own father would frequent the shop. A sign above them reflects Tremblay's humor. "We are not preachers, but we do save soles," it reads.

"It's been a super run. My grandpa, my dad, me. 88 years, the three of us made a living at it," he said, a smile creeping onto his face as he pats his stomach. "One of us got fat from it, so it's gotta be good, I guess."