Adolfo Granados has been repairing shoes for more than half a century. The native Colombian was just 6 years old when his sister gave him his first job, work she'd brought home from the shoe factory that employed much of their South American town. After moving to Southern California, Granados bought a small West L.A. shop from a retiring Italian, and for the past 35 years he has been the proprietor and sole employee of Paris Shoe Repair. Granados has an ever-present smile when greeting customers. He specializes in Old World craftsmanship — hold the computers. Granados' answer to tracking the shoes he repairs? Customers sign in at a notebook on the counter. When you pick up your shoes, Granados crosses off your name. Granados also specializes in dying shoes and bags, and he makes keys. 12075 Wilshire Blvd., Brentwood. (310) 477-5263 (no website).

—David Futch

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