Nowra shoe man Jan van Arkel ready to step away

It's a smell I've encountered and loved at various shoe repair shops I've visited over the years.

At one stage there were quite a few such operations in Nowra.

But now however, as we become a more throw-away society, there is only one and come the end of 2020 there may be none.

At 54, Jan van Arkel has run John's Shoe Repairs in the Nowra CBD for almost 40 years.

But the man known for his superb broad Dutch accent, flowing, although now greying locks, undoubted skill and his smiling welcome is set to ply his last stitch.

Jan aims to retire at the end of next year but is hopeful he can find someone willing to take on his business and keep the cobbler trade alive, like he did all those years ago when he took over the business from Les Lamond as a then 16-year-old.

Read more:

"I'd love to have someone young come in who wants to take over," he said.

"A young guy or girl for that matter, who would like to take over and have a go, just like it did."

And just like his mentor, Jan would be willing to train the next person up.

"It could all just go full circle," he said.

"Just like Les did for me.

"And there is an ongoing demand for such a business. I'd hate to see this lost to the Shoalhaven and in particular Nowra."

He said his 40 years had been a "wonderful journey".

"I've had one hell of a ride. I certainly never thought I would still be here all these years later," he said.

"I must thank everyone who has supported me over the years. It has been much appreciated."

While he admits we have become a throw-away society for a number of things, apparently shoes aren't one of them.

"People get a favourite pair and they just want to keep them," he said.

"So they come and get them repaired.

"While I do repairs to other leatherwork apart from shoes, I would have between 250 and 300 jobs a week.

"It's incredibly busy.

"I repair all types of shoes - from Rivers' shoes to Kmart shoes through to the high-end stuff."

When Jan came to Australia with his parents Teun and Leni and his younger brothers Ari and Johan almost 40 years ago he had never heard of the Shoalhaven, let alone Nowra.

He was just 15.

"Dad had owned various businesses in Holland," he said.

"He was a ladies' hairdresser but at one stage he had a model railway shop and two chemist shops.

"They just wanted to set up somewhere else. We were originally going to go to New Zealand, but a neighbour had a brother there and said the work prospects were better in Australia.

"So we came here. We first went north, about as far up as Port Macquarie. Mum didn't like it, so we travelled south.

"We hit the Shoalhaven and Mum loved it. It had so much to offer. The mountains, the beaches, beautiful Jervis Bay so we stayed.

"We settled in Bomaderry."

But he admitted it was "a bit of a cultural shock".

"Things were certainly different from Holland," he said. "Our English for one wasn't really that good.

"We had to learn. In the shop I learnt enough to get by and just learnt more while I was here.

Read more:

"I could understand what people were saying but I had to work out my answer. After about six to 12 months I'd picked it up.

"We were all into football (soccer) but over here there were so many different things."

His two brothers were enrolled in school and Jan had originally decided to start a building apprenticeship at TAFE.

"Les Lamond had the shoe repair business, then it was in Morrison's Arcade, where the barber is today located," he said.

"Dad was in town and saw the business was for sale. He went and spoke to Les and asked if he would teach me the trade.

"I didn't have any idea it was going on. Dad just came home and said there you go.

"I said 'Okay, I'll give it a go'."

They moved all the equipment and business to the family's home and Les taught Jan the skills for the next six months and in January 1981 he started his own business as a 16-year-old.

"People must have wondered what they were getting into when they would walk in and see a teenager behind the counter," he laughed.

"But it was amazing, people were willing to give me a go."

There has been a few other shoe repairers in town over the years but Jan has outlasted them all.

"I think a new one might have recently opened in Wollongong," he said.

"Not 100 per cent sure, but at one stage I was the only shoe repairer between Sydney and well down the coast.

"There used to be repairers at Bega and Narooma/Moroya but I think they have all gone now too.

"People come up from places like Batemans Bay and beyond to get me to fix things.

"And being competitive in pricing ensures people come back."

Jan worked on his own for more than a decade but with business building up his father Teun came on board to help and was with him up until about three years ago when he sadly passed away.

"He'd help out when we got busy," he said.

"There are people who have been coming to me the whole time. Now I do work for their children. It's crazy."

While shoe repairs has been his main business, over the years he's turned his hand at fixing handbags, suitcases, sporting goods, motorbike clothing or leather clothing.

"Repairs or alterations, I can do either," he said.

Of all the things he has repaired, probably the most unusual was "leather lingerie".

"From the work's point of view it has been interesting," he said.

Cobblery is one of the few trades that computers haven't been able to infiltrate.

"It's still all hands-on," he said.

"But things have changed - we had to evolve when synthetics were introduced.

"I think now people are more into bespoke items and that's bringing us back to popularity.

"The old machinery is still used. It's an art form. Nothing much has changed. All the tools are the same.

"When I first started there was a TAFE course, I think it was in Sydney or Wollongong. But they don't run them anymore. It's all on the job training."

Not only a repairer, Jan has created a historic feel to his shop with a display of former equipment, old bags, suitcases etc in his front window.

"Even that has proven popular," he said.

"It's great to see the people just stop and have a look. It often starts a conversation."

As for the future at this stage, he has "no idea".

"We'll just see what comes," he said.