Back Roads

Tim Koenig gave me a photo of German immigrant Henry Bermel in his shoe and harness repair shop in Randall, Minn. recently. Henry, who started the business in this little central Minnesota railroad town when he was 17, looks to be going on 30. What struck me about the photo was a pair of pretty well-worn shoes in the photo’s foreground. They must be in for a repair job — even though they look to be pretty much beyond repair. Those old people were frugal and knew how to make things last.

That same ethic lives on at Bermel’s Boots and Shoes 105 years later. The Friday morning we visited the shop, Tim — who got the store from his Dad who got the store from Henry’s son — had repair customers three deep. Sandy Koenig, Tim’s wife and business partner, was working the bustling sales floor with two of the store’s knowledgeable clerks.

Tim took a look at the repair needed on my boot, explained how he could repair it and said the epoxy that he’d use would have to sit overnight.

“You’ve got a long drive to get here,” he said. “Why don’t I mail it?”

We agreed to that and I went to the sales floor in the small, well-organized store. I spend nine months of the year on my feet walking our vegetable fields or collecting firewood for maple syrup harvest. So I’m serious about my foot wear. I want quality manufacturing — preferably American made. I also prefer all leather boots since synthetics don’t breathe and I most certainly want a boot that can be repaired. I told Sandy Koenig this, expecting her to roll her eyes at my fussiness. She didn’t. Bermels carries 20 different brands of boots and shoes including Red Wing, Wolverine, Irish Setter, Keene, and Kamuk. It was not hard to find what I wanted. Like any decent shoe store, Bermels has a place to sit down, put your boots on, and walk in them to see how they feel. Sandy tied them up and checked the toe and sides for tightness. Then she suggested Tim could replace the top two eyelets with hooks to make the boots easier to lace. All in ten minutes! Bermels also has lots of boot and shoe socks, a variety of boot laces, leather care products, leather belts, arch supports and insoles and more. They have a website (bermelsshoes. com) and their phone is (320) 749-2355; but people regularly come from 100 miles or more. v