Disapprearing things : Shoe Store

in culture •  7 years ago 

Shoe store was very famous near Seoul Station. People had been crowded all day long. Merchants from each provinces were busy to buy good shoes first. Shoe makers had earned much money. Once this place was downtown.

Old memories made me visit the shoe store alley. The glory of the past was disappearing. Shoe store was getting less and less. Some shoe stores were closed.

They displayed the shoes in front of the store but I couldn’t feel vigorous on the street

I couldn’t see people on the street.

Entering the shoe store, I asked the business condition to the owner. He told me the shoe business was over in Korea.

The Shoemaker couldn’t make shoes anymore. It is not easy to maintain their daily life only with making the shoes. They need to find another job to live. People do not want to learn how to make the shoes. Beside, it took several years to learn how to make the shoes. Who could learn shoemaking technology without paying. Rarely there are some hand made shoe technicians, but it is too expensive to buy handmade shoes for common users. So it would be hard to keep up handmade shoe business

This shoes street would be disappeared not for long time. We could not see crowded and loud scenery in this street any more. In their voice, there were life.

Too many things are disappearing in my generation. Most of them had been continued for several hundred years.

There are no exception in disappearing and oblivion. Nothing could escape from the oblivion, including myself. And the world would be renewed from the oblivion. That’s the principle of the world.

But I am sad, when I notice that acquainted things are being forgotten.

I am thinking again how to live with seeing the disappearing things

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I feel a lot of this has happen because of big box stores. We have gotten away from have the quality of a good product as well as great relationships that you forged with local store owners. Nothing seems personal anymore due to the computer age we are removing cashiers from the retail store, we no longer call someone to have a conversation due to texting and we no longer get together for gathering instead he head to the hangout! Not all are bad but we as a generation are setting ourselves up for more robotic technologies to take over our everyday to day operations.

Yup you get it. I refuse to use the 'automatic pay line' (don't know how to call it) in the store so cashiers will hopefully stay. It's an easy job for students etc.

A piece of writing that makes everybody sad, including me. And oh, look at the shoes! The seem very very lonely and tired sitting on the display all day long, not sure if anyone would come over and touch them.

Those are such beautiful pictures its sad when the old disappear and what your used to that is an old profession is dying, more its regular shoe stores with cheap shoes , the business is a dying breed but that is the wave of the future I miss the old days

Time passes and things change, @slowwalker. But change is not just a result of Time - change is the very nature of Time.

I wrote a novel about this very subject and I've had to deal with this struggle in my own life. It's hard having to let go of precious things.

So, your post today is full of nostalgia for a life that is slowly passing away, and the real challenge is not to hold on to what used to be, but to embrace the world in which we now live.

Spending a lifetime to learn a trade to perform a task a machine can do is a waste of a life. Yes, machine goods are not as good quality as handmade, but the time that is freed up can be put to good use - and that's what you did walking around Seoul City, observing and reflecting and honouring the traditions of the past.

A thoughtful post, @slowalker

Things and how we do things are always changing. This can be sad when one reflects. Sort of like the "good old days. " But things change and evolve and one must adapt and change or get left behind. This goes for life and business. You're either growing or dying. Sad at times, but it is the only way we can grow and get, "new and improve" version/ variety. Like your post.

Wow this upsetting but happens with technology....If block chain does grow to the size we think it will, a lot of people will lose jobs. But that is the case with growing technology anyway.

Thank you for comment

so,.... there are shoes in Seoul.

thank you for the sharing those grat photos @slowwalker

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

노인이 죽고 아이가 태어나듯
과거는 사라지고 새로운것이 생기는거지요
님이 말하는 것들이 사라지고
인터넷이 생기고
가상화폐가 생기고
너무 쓸쓸해 하지는 마십시요

아버지의 시대가 사라지는 것을 보는 기분입니다.

One of the shoe stores in my hometown shut its doors recently as part of some corporate bankruptcy decision. To make matters worse, it was open for well over 20 years.

So sad when things like this happen.

it is so sad when I hear that kind of story

yes it is

Same thing is happening here in the UK. Most people buy of ebay or amazon these days it's a lot cheaper. Very sad.

Yup, Amazon is really a game changer. Places will disappear but hopefully make way for other businesses to flourish

amazon is problem maker...

so you too buy chinese stuff..

As an American, it is interesting to see businesses overseas, especially ones like this where the business operates on multiple levels and has whole salers and whatnot. You post is very informative. Upvoted and following!

Thank you

We start to lose our connection with traditional makings. That's pretty sad... but unavoidable.

Great post once again @slowwalker, I thoroughly enjoy your postings about Seoul, as I recognize a lot from my time living there (and gives me flashbacks...)!

thank you for your comment

Yeah, Its sad to read about disappearing shoe making industry in Korea. But this is life. As we reach more close to the practicality and become more advanced, we lose our connection with traditional things. Same can be said with Shoe making business.
This is the way of life, we have to live seeing the disappearing things whether it be individuals we love or the things we once desired.
Thanks for sharing this amazing post @slowwalker . Wish you all the luck.

thank you so much for your comment

Did you lease it? Tell me how to do the same as you.

Yes I lease my steem power.
You can find so many posting in the Steemit page

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

Very sad story/article @slowwalker ;( .. life is changing , cultures are changing :(

🤗

nice photos thank you for the share we wait the new ....
followed ! good lock .

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

옛장인과 추억이사라지는 장소에 아쉬움을 느낌니다. ~~그 또한 세월의야속함이라생각이드네요,즐거운주말되셔요!

네 감사합니다

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

But he can make his shop online. It's popular right now.
And there is a lot of peculiar looking shoes in his store.
This situation can be resolved.

Yes I need to tell him what you comment

Many old businesses collapse as they cannot continue in modern age. Now people are more eager to buy online rather than these stores. Nice post and photos. Thank you.

Thank you for dropping by

As you said yourself there are no exception in disappearing n oblivion. Its always upsets to witness to see things which are used to it.
Stores n markets are like that in less profit now due to online marketing n shopping malls

Unfortunately this seems to be unavoidable. Our attachment to things which have a sentimental value are always hard to let go of. But hopefully there are also new things appearing which might be less visible for us at the moment.

Damm , i dont have to look this ..........womens and shues ! We always need more !

Lol

Thank you @slowwalker for bringing this matter to attention. :c)

I must admit that my first reaction was sadness... but then I got into thinking...

Why 'should' a skilled leather worker learn entirely new skills unless they truly want to?

What if there exist skills related to shoe cobbling that would be in greater demand?

This is going to sound a little nutty... but how about bullet resistant clothing?

Now I 'suspect' that leather is hardly going to stop a bullet (Unsure of cured/soft leather layered in sufficient thickness) - but leather could hold other materials in place that do - and very comfortably too.

Well... that depends on how the South Korean government feels about either commissioning or allowing concerned citizens to purchase home-made body armor.

Every story and problem, there is always a solution. The solution from me, keep stepping, despite any constraints. Never show your sadness before the person you care about. Keep believing there will be a better change. Then more importantly think positive, because that's the main key in living life. When the mind is healthy, anything will be easy to do friend,

Machines took over the jobs of mankind , tragic indeed but it is for the best to achieve efficiency

hallo slowwalker, I would say welcome to globalization, where the most shoes are produced now for Korea? is it in china etc? In Germany is the same, we do not have really shops that are empty but new shops were just opened, .. almost nothing is produced in the country , that is sad , I agree

Same problem in Germany?
😢

yeah clothes are produced in Asia, the conditions are very bad in this factories for example India or Bangladesh, and people in the west can buy a shirt for 5 euro. Asian people almost get nothing for their hard work, a big problem ..

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

The street looks quite , that is heart breaking for anyone.

True story. Makes a bit sad...but that's life.. something must pass away to give path for something new or different

@slowwalker,
Great article friend. You discuss about the real situation of most of the traditional businesses are facing now. In my country we could experience the same scenario - market dominance by China synthetic shoes. So, people won't spend much but quality drops. It effected on traditional shoe makers and now they are struggling with price matters.
Thank you very much for this great article and you have touched very sensible area. Really appreciate your effort!

Cheers friend!

thank you
It's sad we have same problem

@slowwalker,
Yeah China dominant and most of businesses is going to die :/

Traditional physical stores are both disappearing and replaced by E store like Amazon. They have to provide people different feelings more than goods such as memory.

Good solution

everytime i see some seoul shots makes me want to go there, seems so different and so diverse at the same time ! sad about the shop...

There's a certain melancholy to your posts that I like, @slowwalker.

It is said to learn that the days of the past have changed, from a buzzing liveliness...

...to now a street that only shows the last convulsions of a once thriving shoe business.

This is how the market – supply and demand – works.

Is it fair? I won't be the judge of that. Answering that question does not change anything.

Your post reminded me of the story Gary V. tells about Uber. When Uber just started, he was on board as an investor. Some of his dad's friends had owned taxi companies for decades. He warned them: sell now, in 18 months Uber is going to totally disrupt your business. But they were slow to act, didn't believe him. 2 years later, the value of their business had plummeted...

That's how fast it can go. Very unfortunate.

I see a lot of people commenting on this post that is very sad. It is. Yet at the same time, I bet they all go for the best bang for their buck (often the cheapest option) when they need to let their money speak. We all do.

It doesn't make it less sad, but it's the reality we live in.

Your point is acurate...but I am emotional than rational...

And that is why I like your posts, @slowwalker. They're all trips down memory lane.

I too sometimes reminisce about what once was and now is gone. It's the main reason why I love to watch black and white movies from the 1940's, for example.

The ones that are still worthwhile to watch stood the test of time, because they have good dialogues and great actors.

Yet, the world these movies take place in is vastly different than ours now. All men were hats, everyone smokes, no internet/smartphones/computers. No STEEMIT!

I love it...

really nice pictures this seems to be a nice place thanks a lot for sharing and keep on posting ;)

Thank you

It's very sad to see so may things that are part of the culture disappear. Hopefully, after the shake out a better way will appear. There is nothing more certain than change. Another interesting post. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for your comment

This is the reality of life. We will all disappear eventually. But we should be thankful for the memories we have. And enjoy every moment of our life.

Thank you @slowwalker for always sharing a part of your life to us. :)

Thank you so much

You are always welcome. Continue sharing. :)

Thank you for your first hand account. This is what is happening to many areas as business seek the low cost manufacturer leaving the people who made a living behind. What do you see as the "new opportunities"?

Yes we need to find new opportunity,
but shoe makers couldn,t.

I and sorry to hear this. I read so much about computers/AI/robots taking jobs in the future and to me I thin ok what will happen to the people who will bo out of a job, but people don't like to hear this or say this is progress. Your example is real. Jobs don't grow on trees and they effect people and their families -- and in some areas this is even more the case.

I was just thinking about how we have a throwaway culture. People don't value old things. Change can be good and a needed thing. But there were things in the past that were actually better. Or at least made with more skill and better materials. There is a facebook group about historical things in my town. The places people use to go to for fun and a bite to eat. The schools they went to and the people they encountered. While you are going through the experience you may not think of it as special but later you realize and cherish those things.

Very good solution

In all honesty, situations like this are a common factor all over the world. People don't understand when they buy cheap they destroy once thriving industries. Mass produced shoes may work for some, but if you have more unique feet? Or it you want something traditional and long lasting? You won't get that from mass produced shoes. It is sad as you loose so much culture and tradition when you loose a handicraft, even one as seemingly non important as shoe making. Once-all around the planet, your hair style/ornamentation and your shoes showed everyone without words who you were, they were a part of your identity and your cultures identity. My mom still says "it doesn't really matter what you wear-if your head is good and your feet are good-your good!"

This reminds me when I used to sell shoes in college. It was a pretty fun job.

I did a review of a pretty cool movie if you have a chance to check my blog.

Absolutely

thanks for the information!

It's sad to see that traditional ways of life are slowly disappearing - hopefully the art of making handmade shoes is not forgotten completely.

That is how new technology effect the current scenario of business. can;t be survived in the future without being adopt to the e-commerce. feeling sorry for the shoe makers . anyway nice article . have to think about it twice

😢

A lot of old traditional type stores have gone due to big manufacturers. A lot of quality products were made by small businesses.

I like your posts @slowwalker thank you for sharing

Capitalism turns every single memory into a cellphone gadgets store.

LAME!

Remember the old bookstore you used to go as a kid with your grandpa?
Gone! Its a Vodafone Shop

Remember that good old bar where you used to go when dating your first crush?
Gone! Its a shop selling Iphone cases and gadgets now.

Thanks capitalism, no memories from the past. We will never run out of phone cases tho

Great post @slowwalker . Things like these happen all around the world

Yes, what should we do ?

우리나라는 다른 나라보다 더 빨리 변화해서 이런 것들이 더 자주보이는것 같습니다. 저도 어릴때부터 같은 곳에서 살고 있지만 예전 환경들이 그리울 때가 있습니다. 그대로 남아 있는 것이 없네요.

You reminded me a lot of my country. When my grandfather made me accompany him to polish his shoes or to buy one. Beautiful times ... I hope you are very well. Have a good sunday my friend!

This is the downside of globalisation . Not much can be done about that. We have to adjust.

새로생긴 서울로에서 높은 건물과 새로생긴 카페들만 보고 왔습니다. 외국 관광객들도 많던데.. 그들은 정작 서울역의 이런 신발가게를 더 보고 싶었을지도 모른다는 생각이 듭니다. 좋은 포스팅 잘보고 갑니다.

I think the problem is with present generation youngster they are not paying attentions to the old fashioned things because of huge advertisement from multi national companies small vendor can't compet with big crocodiles it happen in my place also.... now every thing is marketing marketing and brand value local government need to creat proper opportunities for the small vendor to compete in the market but they are not doing that...
Because of this many many old fashioned things and making are in dying stages

Things come and go around. Except from people the stay for a while...

hi

these sandals on pavement look like left by customers before entering the shop

It's really sad but we cannot avoid change. Change is the only constant.

Sad report man how the culture is changing every time :(

Hope that things get better there looks disappointing

My grandpa was a shoemaker too. In the 1960s he had to close and worked then in a shoe factory. At the end he became a natural healer and helped many people with that. Pinned on my board.

When we reach singularity we will not work anymore there will be no market anymore we will have a lot of time to live a slow walking live and someone maybe will enjoy to wear a human made pair of shoes

It's sad to see such situations... Things changing gradually or quickly so as to eliminate jobs and livelyhood

Also in my country it happens that many shops are closed because there is no demand for it. Talking about shoes first come from the shoemaker: now I have no shoemaker anymore. I remember their craft shops ... In short, do not be sad @slowwalker it's the life that evolves ..

it is the sad really of life, Everything change and disappears for a reason for improvement, but it will always have a sad part because we will miss the time that past.

It's sad to see how technology sometimes kills the little businesses

Very nostalgic!. I know that feeling. My home town has changed so much for more modern things that to me, are less appealing. Thanks for sharing!

Good reflections on important things @slowwalker! There are memories that are sad! Have a nice weekends!

Interesting post! Sad to know about this.

Nice photos wonderful keep it up

That's sad. I wonder why it ended like this. Maybe that's beacuse nowadays there are many very cheap shoes imported from the other countries?

Oh my gosh your stories are fascinating and photography is beautiful.

Good job! Upvoted and resteemed))

A post worth sharing and its actually the case that the harder the labour its not that well paid though...!

good job, nice report.

Great job

That's very sad

its very sad to see things getting disappreared which you have been seeing through from very beginning.

Wow that's just sad D: Hopefully people will realize that quality matters and hand-crafted products will become popular again.

아직은 저한테는 익숙한 사진이네요.
저희 동네는 발달하지 않아서 작은 상가들이 많습니다.
서울을 최근에 갔는데 정말 큰 건물만 있어서 어색했었네요^^;

I dont like the shoes these days so I dont own a pair ;-)

The processes of globalization suppress many old affairs. It is a pity.
Upvoted)

Sad that the culture is changing and people do not want things made to last any more. Lost art and a sad one to loose.

@slowwalker I really enjoyed taking this shoe journey with you. Thought- provoking. Thank you!

great post , thank you

Hi @slowwalker Good content and story.... I resteemed this post. Im from marikina, shoe capital of the Philippines.

thank you @hackwacker and etc.

Could it be because people are now turning their heads to malls?

I think its just a cycle of our society and a lot of physical shops will be replaced by online retailers in the long run. Here in The Netherlands you see the same thing happening already. In smaller malls the amount of stores that have to close is insane...

I am sad to hear that

Woww amazing store, maybe i will visit

This comment has received a 0.14 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @hamzaoui.