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Video: A 2-Minute Chat With 'The Shoe Doctor' in Downtown Detroit

November 27, 2014, 11:06 PM by  Allan Lengel

James Reynolds, 70, calls himself "The Shoe Doctor."

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Reynolds operates his shoeshine stand on the first floor of the Compuware building at Campus Martius, and magically transforms worn leather into just-like-new footwear.  "I'll Make Your Shoes 'Bling Bling.,'" his business cards say.

He's very much like the mayor of the Compuware building, a popular figure with a gift of schmooze. He's been operating out of the building since 2004, and has been doing the shoe shine thing on and off all his life.

Customers include everyone from executives to Detroit cops, and they often chat about sports, current events  and politics. Even if he doesn't agree with the customer's politics, he says he just lets it roll off his back.

Deadline Detroit's Allan Lengel recently stopped by to chat.



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