Welcome
Who We Are
With over 150 years of history in Kew, the iconic Cobblers of Kew is one of the longest operating shoe and bag repairers in Melbourne.
Andrew Ioannou and wife Maria took over the 130 year old business in 1999 and taught their son Michael the family craft of repairing, inherited from Andrew’s father.
With three generations of experience in shoe and bag repairs, the Cobblers of Kew offers an eclectic range of services including shoe and watch repairs, locksmithing and key cutting, car, garage and gate remote replacement and engraving.
The Cobblers of Kew is also a proud supplier of a large range of RM Williams and EMU Australia shoes in addition to various shoe and leather care products and accessories.
Our Proud History
Born in Cyprus in 1931, Harilaos Ioannou began working at his uncle’s shoe repair business from the age of 15. After working there for 3 years for no pay, he moved to the city and started working for a company that specialised in pattern and boot making.
In 1951 he traveled to Egypt for 2 years and crafted officer boots for the British Armed Forces.
Harilaos then moved to London with his family at the age of 32, where he opened a business specialising in the handcrafting of ladies’ shoes. From there, he taught his son Andrew the craft of shoemaking until 1968, when they decided to migrate as a family to Australia.
He continued his passion for shoemaking at Footrest shoes until retirement and persisted with his meticulous craft from the comfort of his home garage until the age of 82.
In 1999, Harilaos’ son Andrew and wife Maria purchased the 130 year old Cobblers of Kew, where they both passed on their first-hand knowledge of shoe repairing to their son Michael.
Meet the team
Our Cobblers & Craftsperson
Michael
Andrew
Maria
