Hello, and once again welcome back to another edition of the SPOTLIGHT, where we shine the light on local Putney businesses. This week is rather special, as we bring to you one of Putney’s oldest businesses along Upper Richmond Road, J Poole & Son.
While you might not recognise the name, you will certainly be familiar with the little statue of the man mending a shoe in the window. When I first started this series, I was thinking of which shops I associated with Putney, this shop immediately sprang to mind, it has always stood strong in the face of the Putney “recession.”
I do remember many occasions that I would find myself waiting outside while my mother got various shoes re heeled – and that was about 15 years ago. I had the pleasure of talking to Trevor Poole about how his establishment has held up in Putney’s ever-changing commercial landscape.
How long have you been in Putney, and what drove you to open your shop here?
My Dad had a heel bar in Clapham High Street. In August 1977, the Putney shop became available. At that time, I was doing a bricklaying course at Paddington College.
I didn’t finish the course as my Dad asked me to look after the shop for one week until he found someone to run it. Fast forward 46 years and I’m still ‘looking after it.’
My Dad retired in 2006. He had been in the trade since the age of 20. He will be 84 in June this year.
How has the community supported your being here?
Over the years, we have gotten to know many local families, some of whom we now call good friends. I am now seeing the second generation visit to have keys cut & shoes repaired. I have had the privilege of meeting customers who are authors, actors, pop stars & sports personalities over the years.
The past few years have been a challenge for local traders but regular customers have continued to support us. During Covid we were closed for one year and have seen a big change in trade as a lot of people continue to work from home. Over the last few months, many customers are now returning to the office, so they are now using work shoes instead of trainers! This is welcome news for a sole trader.
How has the Upper Richmond Road changed over the years?
The Upper Richmond Road is now unrecognizable from when we first opened the shop. There were butchers, greengrocers, haberdashers, a pet shop, and a small independent chemist, to name but a few – no need for supermarkets! An added bonus was that we could park our car outside the shop – not a chance now!
I really hope that you all find this edition on J Poole & Son as special as I did! If you would like to have your business featured in the SPOTLIGHT, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and arrange an interview! You can read previous Spotlight interviews here.
