Sandy MacDonald never thought that when she dropped her shoes off at a Kelowna, B.C., shoe repair shop more than six months ago, she would never see them again.
“He has had my shoes since March 4,” MacDonald told Global News. “We just want our belongings back.”
The Kelowna woman isn’t alone.
Many others are in the same situation, including Logan Pay, who is out two pairs of boots.
What’s made things even worse for the former customers of the Galaxy Shoe Repair shop on Ellis Street is the fact that many were asked to pre-pay.
“I had to pre-pay and yeah so he’s taken my money,” MacDonald said. “He’s taken lots of people’s money and we don’t even get our belongings back.”
Pay said he too had to pre-pay, about $60 for both pairs of boots.
Frustrated and not sure where to turn, some of the customers came to the Kelowna RCMP detachment on Tuesday to file a police report.
“I would like them to maybe get in contact with the guy and just maybe give him the boot in the ass to get him to get our stuff back,” Pay said.
RCMP, however, said there’s not much they can do as this is a matter that would have to be settled in civil court.
Global News is trying to reach out to Galaxy Shoe Repair owner Jimi Belshaw, but there is no longer a phone number for the shop, the business Facebook page has been taken down, the website is non-existent and emails to the business bounce back.
However, a note left on the door cites health reasons for the situation — specifically long COVID.
“If you didn’t know, I have been fighting for my life, literally, for the better part of a year now. I developed a chronic disease known as Long COVID. It has crippled me and taken over my life in ways I didn’t know was possible,” the note states.
It goes on to say, “I know it’s been a frustrating time, believe me I know. I just want to again apologize and thank everyone for their patience and kindness during probably the worst times of my life.”
And while some customers expressed sympathy for the cobbler, they still believe he has an obligation to return personal belongings.
“He does find the time to come by and put new signs up, though, usually related to his illness or his health and I have sympathy for him on that mark,” Pay said. “But end of the day, I think he just has to get the stuff back to the people that dropped it off there,”
The latest note advised customers that Belshaw would be back at the the shop on Sept. 12 at 11 a.m. but that time has come and gone and Belshaw was a no-show.
“It’s bizarre and I hope it comes to a close at some point,” Pay said.
According to a Google search, the business is now permanently closed.
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