On The Yard

Hippity hop to the cobbler shop! Come along as we go behind the scenes of one of the busiest shoe shops in town. The Naval Academy is the only service academy that enjoys an on-site cobbler shop, and this NABSD shop handles thousands of shoes and other leather items every year. Read along as we glimpse into the busiest shop in the basement of Bancroft Hall’s 5th Wing.

Footwear Everywhere

I spoke with Carlos Eldridge, the Naval Academy cobbler who runs the shop. Eldridge has been here for seven years, and he’s cobbled tens of thousands of midshipmen uniform shoes (and boots and backpacks) in his time here. The midshipmen receive thousands of shoes a year as part of their standard issue uniforms. These include a pair of black oxfords, white shoes for the summer, athletic shoes, and combat boots (and don’t forget the special shoes for me, the mascot). As you might imagine, with the wear and tear we midshipmen place on them, these shoes require quite a bit of upkeep. In a typical year, three thousand plus shoes stream through this shop.

While the shop has seen a range of issues with midshipmen footwear, one of the most typical repairs is fixing the sneaker blow out. We are constantly running, causing significant wear and tear on our athletic shoes. Eventually, we run the sole of the shoe quite literally off the bottom of the sneaker! Eldridge expertly restores these afflicted shoes to their original state. He also replaces heels, heel linings, heel plates, and shoe welts along with repairing leather rips. He replaces heels and repairs rips that hours of marching and training inflict on our combat boots. He also mends backpacks, purses, and other leather goods, fixing their straps, holes, and rips. Basically, he fixes everything that comes in—and then some.

Eldrige even fixes non-issue shoes for the midshipmen. They pay for those repairs themselves, of course. In addition to serving the Brigade, Eldridge helps Naval Officers, enlisted personnel, and USNA faculty and staff with their needed repairs. As for my hooves, he referred me to the farrier.

Helping Beyond the Cobbler Shop

Eldridge is busy all day long handling requests for the midshipmen and staff, as the shop runs Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm. When it’s time for Plebe Issue on I-Day, he passes out shoes and boots for the incoming class. He also partners with the uniform store throughout the year, fitting midshipmen with shoes and boots, and even helping to repair uniforms that require heavy duty stitches.
Eldridge's talents go beyond traditional cobbler duties. Over the years, he has helped with some unusual repairs outside the shop. He outfitted a USNA horse trailer with leather screens and leathered the steering wheel of a boat. I asked him if he could help with my saddle and he replied, “We’re going to try to do the best we can for whatever anyone needs help with.”

To accomplish these tasks, he relies on a variety of heavy duty specialized machines that repair Naval Academy footwear and other items. At the shop, he uses a McKay stitcher (an outer stitcher for soles), an inner stitcher, female and male nailers, two heel pullers, sole splitters, a sole horn (which melts it so you can pull it off), and a press machine.

Eldridge was made for this business. His father, Coleman Eldridge, has owned a cobbler shop in Severna Park for over 40 years. “I’ve spent a lot of time in the business,” Eldridge says. When asked what he likes about working at the cobbler shop, he explains, “I like it all. I grew up on this stuff.”

Naval Academy Cobbler Shop History

For decades, the cobbler shop has been serving the Yard. For a time, there were over 100 years of shared experience among the three cobblers at work here. Eldridge’s boss started in 1967, and Eldridge of course brings decades of experience to the job, too. It’s a place that’s been an integral part of the Naval Academy experience for a long time. The one thing the shop doesn’t do is clean shoes. That’s the midshipmen’s job, and I have to say—I’m getting pretty good at cleaning mine.

The cobbler shop does an incredible job supporting the midshipmen. You can help support the NABSD, which not only helps the midshipmen with their shoes, but also provides uniforms, books, and much more. Get your Navy gear at Navyonline, and come visit us to take a tour or enjoy our dining experiences. Every time you support the NABSD, you’re helping the Brigade. Come put yourself in their shoes!