Iwan Putuhena

Willy and his family have been repairing shoes and bags for generations.

My Jakarta: Willy, Bag and Shoe Repairman

Laba-Laba is one of the few remaining mom-and-pop stores in Jakarta that repairs bags and shoes. The business is family-owned and has been passed from one generation to the next since it opened in 1898.

Willy is next in line to run the business, and judging by how fast he’s learned the tricks of the trade, his family can rest assured that it will be in good hands.

How is the shoe and bag repair business these days?

In general, it has been slowing down. If the customers have really expensive stuff, they bring it in and have it fixed. Otherwise, because everything is so cheap nowadays, they just go out and buy something new instead.

So does it feel like there’s a recession?

I don’t know. People who pay a lot of money to buy new shoes or new bags are willing to pay to have the same stuff repaired. But, like I said, in some cases, they just go back to the mall and buy new items.

Can you tell us how your shop started out?

It’s been with the family for generations. My great-great-grandfather started in the business in 1898 after he got the store from the Dutch.

How many Laba-Laba branches are there?

We have five and all of them are owned by the family.

And are you next in line to open store No. 6?

If I could, I would open a restaurant instead [laughs], but I’m not sure what kind of food I would serve. I never really took the time to think about it.

How many people work here?

There are about 20 people here right now. Some guys are at the back of the store doing repairs, while my dad, the girls and I are here at the counter.

How long have you been working here in your store?

I graduated from college in 2005, and I’ve been here ever since.

Do you know how much you’re going to charge a customer just by looking at the damaged item?

I base my estimates on how difficult repairing an item would be and what kinds of materials we would have to use to fix it.

Yes, but you did that like 12 times in the last three minutes. How do you do it?

My dad taught me how to do everything and he’s always here in case I have a question. He makes sure I don’t make any mistakes.

You also repair some high-end bags. Don’t you think those should be taken to service centers? Why do you think Jakartans come to you instead?

If you have the warranty, you can take merchandise to a boutique or a shop and get it repaired there. But sometimes, those boutiques have to send your Louis Vuitton bag or shoes to Hong Kong or Singapore, and the whole process can take weeks. If you bring your stuff here, we fix it perfectly in just a few days.

So do you think you can spot a fake?

It’s difficult unless you take out the inside layers, which could mean damaging the item.

Have you heard of ‘super copies’? What are those?

That’s high-end merchandise that’s 99 percent just like the real thing. A super copy uses the exact same materials and no synthetics. You even get a serial number together with the box that comes with it. They’re just as detailed as the fake watches you can buy nowadays.

What’s the weirdest thing that anyone has ever brought to your shop to be repaired?

The ones that I can remember are a prosthetic leg and a parachute.

Prosthetic leg?

Yeah. This guy just walked in the store and took off his fake leg. He was like, ‘Here, fix the straps on this for me. They’re falling off.’

Did the person have to wait long for his leg?

We got it done for him in half a day. He just waited, because he couldn’t go anywhere. Let’s just say we can call it an express order [laughs].

Has anyone famous ever brought you some shoes or a bag to be repaired?

Yes, but I can’t tell you who they are. Let’s just say they were stars.

Does it give you a certain feeling of satisfaction knowing that you can fix almost anything?

Yes, but I do it so many times, day in and day out, that I’ve just become numb about it.

What’s the difference between Laba-Laba and those repair shops in the mall?

We’re experienced, and we have history. The guys at the malls have no experience. The guys working with us all have at least five years of experience doing repairs. My father always talks about quality, which has been a trademark of his work. He believes everything needs to be done properly.

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