On June 23, Charlie’s Shoe Repair, a sliver of a storefront on Purchase Street, posted a notice to its patrons.
Charlie, the message said, had an “unexpected medical emergency that has kept him out of the store.”
The note apologized for the inconvenience and delays to service and thanked customers for all the kindness and support. It explained that Charlie is recovering well but did not mention when he will return.
For over 40 years Charlie Nam’s store has served the Rye community, as Nam’s friendly nature and smiles were as common as new heels and straps. The news of his unexpected decline in health concerned locals. Many took to the Facebook group Rye Moms to rally their support.
Meg Cameron, a resident and co-owner of Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus in Sleepy Hollow, posted online that she would buy a get-well card from all who wanted to sign. Sitting inside Le Pain Quotidian on a July morning last week, Cameron greeted the many community members who stopped by to sign their names and wish Nam well.
Cameron said the amount of affection and appreciation for Charlie in the community was not surprising. She described him as “wonderful to the town” with “his humble dedication to his craft.”
John Aiello, a barber at Frank’s Rye Barber Shop next door to Charlie’s Shoe repair, said he has known Charlie for over 25 years and described him as a “big staple in Rye, big, smiley, happy guy.” He was always willing to help fix people’s shoes and did “an amazing job.”
Aiello said that everybody in the community is aware and understanding that Nam’s been under the weather. He said the neighborhood is “hands on” in efforts to support the shoemaker during this time.
Cameron explained that the get-well card was a “spontaneous effort” and that community members who came in to sign their names were mostly from the Rye Moms group.
“I’m sure many more people would be wishing him well,” she said, “It shows you how many people like him. That little bit of effort yielded this many signers.”
Aiello said he recently spoke to Charlie on the phone and said he is “recovering well” and joked that Charlie is just waiting for his kids to release him from his house so he can get back to his work with “full force.”
One patron getting his hair cut simply said, “He’s wonderful. He’s Charlie the shoemaker.”
