Located in Potts point, Sydney, Cobbler Caballero is a small, family run business dedicated to the repair of shoes, watches and leather goods. Felicity Stewart and Matthias Hollenstein of Stewart Hollenstein were commissioned to develop the brand identity and retail shop design with the family.

The shop is conceived as an open workshop, bringing the cobbler and customer into the same space. The workshop is framed by a “shoe library” – a continuous wall of plywood shelving that wraps around the narrow shops walls, allowing for the organization and display of shoes and products. The dark ceiling, floor and walls recede, allowing the craft, texture and machinery of the cobbling process to become the focus.

The shop took over the lease from a previous tenant, and much of the existing building fabric was restored and given a new lease on life in the design, this included the entry mat and timber floor. The use of mirrors on the counter and rear wall allow for customers to inspect their shoes, as well reflecting the activity of the street into the shop.

Pictures courtesy of Stewart Hollenstein

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