‘Forget about tomorrow': Ralph Rotella's advice as he celebrates his 50th anniversary in business
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Before he touches a single shoe, Ralph Rotella really shines as a backroom barista.
He often treats regulars to espresso made in his old-school stove-top kettle from Italy.
Rotella was only 16 years old when he moved from Calabria, Italy to Syracuse. At 20, he followed in his uncle's footsteps and opened Discount Shoe Repair with a partner in 1975.
50 years later, the store sits in the same block.
'When you enjoy something you like,' Rotella said in his broken English, 'the time go by so fast.'
Old than Ralph is the shop's equipment. When he opened Discount Shoe Repair, Ralph bought the collection from another Italian cobbler retiring from Buffalo.
The machines run the same, but a lot has changed over the years. Ralph has seen the City of Syracuse through his window.
'When we set up,' he remembers, 'It was beautiful. After few years, got worse, come back again.'
The industry has evolved too.
'Shoes are a like a car,' Ralph said, 'every few years, they change style.'
He sees more plastic and vinyl than leather nowadays. A form of super glue he calls his savior. Some overly-worn shoes, he'll suggest are junk.
Ralph doesn't know how many pairs of shoes he's handled in his career.
'It's gotta be a million,' he guesses. 'Figure… few hundred a week… for 50 years.'
He's more diligent at counting donations to his annual shoe drive, collecting for the Rescue Mission.
When asked his thoughts on retiring, Ralph said: 'Not yet. If I retire, what am I going to do home? People who retire… they get so bored. I'm only 71. Maybe five more years.'
Five more years of his customer service and coffee.
'Take a little break. Life is too short. Enjoy today, forget about tomorrow,' said Ralph.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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