Shoe repair man left Hollywood to follow father’s footsteps

-By Jonathan Farrell 

Fame called, so Vincent Pacheco went to Hollywood. Then family called, and Vinny returned to be with his ailing father. Now Vinny’s A-1 Shoe Repair is celebrating its 15th anniversary in Sonoma.

“It is hard to believe time has gone by so fast,” he said. “Yet, I am happy to say, I just renewed the lease and I look forward to being here another 15 years or more.”

Pacheco explained that back in 2000 he initially had other plans. “From my work in Hollywood, I was going to work at an island resort as a fitness trainer. But when my dad Tony became ill with cancer, I wanted to help him. So, I gave up that job opportunity and decided to take over for my dad and carry on the family business.”

Shoe repair is a trade/profession that Tony handed on to his son. “I’m a native of the Peninsula. I grew up in San Mateo on Santa Clara Way right there in the village and graduated from Hillsdale High. My dad had a shop in San Carlos and then later moved to 37th Avenue in San Mateo.”

No stranger to working, Pacheco said his dad had him helping out in the shop early in life. “When I was little it was doing chores like sweeping up, running errands. But when I got older, my dad had me polishing and working on heels.”

His father Tony always wanted him to take over the shoe repair. “My dad grew up poor during the Great Depression and World War II. He thought it important to have a profession, a trade, that way even when times are tough, a person has the ability to earn a living.” But the younger Pacheco had dreams of his own. “I wanted to venture out and try something new. Going to Southern Cal or Hollywood, to catch some of that excitement.”

Pacheco’s interest in sports and fitness got him work as a fitness trainer.  His upbeat personality and winning smile, helped were an in to the glamorous of the Rodeo Drive scene. Through those contacts he was able to aspire to acting.  “I got small speaking parts on several TV series and walk-on extra work in a few movies.

He liked to party at nightspots (“It was fun”) but he was also realistic.

Many of those in Hollywood with dreams of stardom end up with broken hearts and lives that fall apart along Hollywood Boulevard. Pacheco was very mindful of that. “I learned from my dad to save money and to stay focused on business.” Not to get carried away with the L.A. lifestyle, Pacheco keep his day-job as fitness trainer.

But then, in 2000 his father reached out. “My dad’s cancer was lingering, not getting better.” He had retired by then, said Pacheco, and wanted his son to take over the shop. Only, this time his father was willing to relocate and wanted to move to some place smaller, easy-going. “We looked at several spots around the Bay Area, like Benicia. But what we found here in Sonoma we liked most.”

Interestingly, shortly after Pacheco’s return to the Bay Area he met his wife Nicole. “It turns out she was from L.A. Isn’t it odd how things turn out, coming around full circle.” Nicole is very proud of him as she said, “Vince’s shop in Sonoma is an institution. Yes, it is true, people do stop in daily just to say hi! But his work is also excellent. In fact, there are a number of people in Petaluma who bypass the two shoe repairs in town to go to him in Sonoma.”

When the economic downturn hit in 2008, Vinny’s A-1 Shoe Repair was relatively unaffected. It’s true buying a decent pair of shoes doesn’t cost a lot; especially these days with so much inventory being imported from overseas. But a good pair of shoes that fit comfortably are a treasure. And, according to the Shoe Service Institute of America, for those people who spend a considerable amount of money for a pair of shoes, having a shoe repair shop nearby saves money.

“And, no matter what, in good times or hard times, people need their shoes,” Pacheco added.

Pacheco praised the management of Valley Mart. “They have been really good to me and to be next to Sonoma Market, everything has really worked out well. Better than I anticipated.”

Pacheco was sad to say, “My dad passed away in January and I really miss him.” Pacheco said he is very blessed and is proud to follow in his father’s footsteps in the shoe repair business.