【Leather Healer】A hobby turns into a popular shoe brand

For many people, a pair of good leather shoes is simply everyday work attire, while for others, they are only for grand occasions. Wayne, the founder of Leather Healer in Causeway Bay, feels that leather shoes are suitable for any occasion.

Wayne loves to read fashion magazines and a leather shoes section got him hooked on the subject. On subsequent trips to Japan, Wayne visited Japanese shoe shops in search of unique styles. When he talked to his mates about his interests, he found out that they too wanted better quality shoes but had no way of finding them. This desire for good quality shoes spurred him to set up his own shoe business.

At first, his interest in nice shoes was just a side hustle. Wayne focused mainly on running an online shop and shoe maintenance services. “I had a full-time job in retail then. I learned about shoes and shoe care techniques from books and videos in my spare time.” It was only when he wanted to give his customers a better shopping experience that Wayne decided to quit his job and become a full-time shop owner.

As the saying goes, “All things are difficult before they are easy” and Wayne’s early shoe days were tough. After much deliberation, Wayne was convinced that the only way to be successful was to focus on one thing and do it well. With this goal, he went from a tiny 200 sq. ft. shop in Kwun Tong to his current two-storey shop on Kai Chiu Road. His shop not only focuses on leather shoes but also on other leather accessories to match: “I want leather shoes to be daily wear for our customers. Not just for specific occasions, but also for comfort especially if they are of good quality and construction. You can choose from our wide range of quality shoes with clothes and accessories to match.” Leather Healer not only sells shoes, but also teaches customers how to care for them, offering advice on repair and fitting, making the shoe shopping experience a complete one!

Wayne thinks the biggest difference between his Causeway Bay shop and his other branches is the décor: “Since this branch has a more open layout, I treated it like a ground floor shop even though it’s upstairs. I decorated the outside walls to make it more appealing from the street level. With two floors of shop space, I could display more of my favourite things such as vinyl records and luggage from the 70s.” Wayne also likes the fact that it’s a close-knit community here. Apart from a popular shopping mall right across the street, there are also loads of smaller shops around the back on Pak Sha Road, such as Badges Story. Wayne looks forward to collaborating with shops in the area to spark new creativity in the future.

Leather Healer
Address: 1-2/F, 16 Kai Chiu Road, Causeway Bay