David and Sheila Johnston, accompanied by their 3 rescue dogs, relocated to Central Illinois in 2018 to be close to aging parents. David brought with him over 30 years of shoe repair, orthotics, and prosthetics experience. In the spring of 1982, he began working at his family’s shoe repair, eventually purchasing, and growing the business. From there, he sought to increase the volume of his knowledge of materials and techniques, so he sold the shoe repair, and began working as an orthotic and prosthetic technician at a lab in Madison, WI. There he initially specialized in providing high quality shoe modifications, focusing on cosmetics, as well as correction. For David, this was important, as he needed a shoe lift through most of his life due to a hip disorder. Over time, he mastered the entire scope of orthotic and prosthetic fabrication.
Fast forward to spring of 2020: a pandemic rages with unforeseeable outcomes, and David’s job in shoe repair is jeopardized. His was ultimately one of the casualties of the economic downturn. Not one to leave his livelihood to fate, he mustered his impressive skill set, acquired equipment, and opened a shoe repair business of his own in Goodfield, Illinois. This location was ideally situated off I-74 between Bloomington and Peoria, with an easy on-off for commuting customers. The local community has embraced the new business, providing encouragement, and support. Without them, we would not have made it this far! Recently, word has spread online, bringing shipments of shoes for repair and modification from throughout the Midwest. This uptick in the workload has necessitated extra help at the shop, so Sheila left her position as an orthotist to focus on growing the family business. These days, when you stop in at Goodfield Shoe Repair, you’re likely to be greeted by not only the welcoming human business owners, but their pack of exuberant pups- Willow, Deja, and Artie, who are often featured in their Facebook posts.
Truly a family business.
