Nichole Verdejo's Sole Wash, with locations in Southeast DC and Laurel, Maryland, is dedicated to bringing customers' shoes back to life.
“Sole Wash” is a sneaker cleaning and restoration service with locations in Southeast DC and Laurel, Maryland. (Providing sole wash)
Providing sole wash
Sole Wash founder Nicole Verdejo develops sneakers. (Providing sole wash)
Providing sole wash
Verdejo said customers can save a lot of money in the long run by restoring shoes through sole wash. (Providing sole wash)
Providing sole wash
Verdejo said customers often leave with a smile on their faces, amazed at how well their shoes look. (Providing sole wash)
Providing sole wash
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Nicole Verdejo didn't set out to become a shoe restoration expert, but it's something she's found important and it's her way of keeping sneaker culture alive.
“It was born out of a sneaker boutique, where customers asked if we could clean and restore their sneakers,” Verdejo said. “That's not something you see very often.”
Verdejo owns a business called Sole Wash, which has locations in southeast D.C. and Laurel, Maryland.
Her job is to take old shoes and make them look like new so customers can keep wearing their favorite shoes instead of throwing them in the trash.
“It's really environmentally friendly,” Verdejo says. “We save a lot of sneakers and preserve the culture by cleaning and restoring them.”
Restoring shoes can save customers a lot of money in the long run.
High-quality shoes are an expensive investment, and frequent replacements due to wear and tear can put a strain on your budget. Verdejo said by choosing repair services, customers can keep their favorite shoes at a fraction of the cost of buying new shoes.
“Sneakerheads actually take great care of their sneakers,” Verdejo said, referring to customers who are particularly passionate about shoes. “A lot of the work we do for sneakerheads involves repainting and rebonding the sneakers they love and don't want to throw away.”
Whether you wear them for special occasions, travel, or everyday adventures, shoes are often imbued with personal meaning. Verdejo said her business understands the emotional attachment her customers have to their shoes and works to maintain that emotional value.
“Sneakers have a lot of stories,” Verdejo said. “Sneakers have a lot of history and bring back memories and things of that nature.”
That's why Verdejo's customers often leave with a smile on their faces.
“People get really excited when they get their shoes back and they look good,” Verdejo said. “They don't think we can bring them back. [to life] They are overjoyed when they receive their shoes because we do that too. ”
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