Jairo Cardenas, left, owner the Alpha Shoe Repair Corp., shows the repair made on a customer’s …

Jairo Cardenas, left, owner the Alpha Shoe Repair Corp., shows the repair made on a customer's ...

Jairo Cardenas, left, owner the Alpha Shoe Repair Corp., shows the repair made on a customer’s shoes, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in New York. Business at the shop, which Cardenas has run for 33 years, is down 75% compared with prior to the pandemic. Shoe repairs typically bring in more money than shines. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)