“You know what you call it [when] a cobbler is just getting waves and waves of shoes in? A ‘shoenami.'”
This A+ dad joke can be attributed to Jim McFarland, aka ‘America’s Cobbler’—a viral internet star who has millions of followers across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube that tune in to watch him fix shoes.
Some men are born to do a job, and with a story about being teethed as an infant on a piece of shoe leather, McFarland’s title seems well-earned.
“My great uncle trained my grandfather,” McFarland told Fox News 13’s Extraordinary Ordinary segment.
“He had a shop in Anderson, Indiana, around 1900. My grandfather, by the time he was about 20, had his own shop in Hamilton, Ohio around 1918. In 1981, my dad opened this shop, and I took over in ’86.”
After entering one of the world’s oldest surviving professions, he spent more than 20 years at McFarland Shoe Repair in Lakeland, Florida. It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that he decided to try something new, and with the help of his daughter he launched a social media presence. The success was a kick in the head.
@americascobbler Recrafting Chanel flats with a side of relaxing music😌🎵 #chanel #recraft #shoerepair #americascobbler #black ♬ Autumn Leaves - Timothy Cole
“It baffles me. I soak it all in because I’m like, ‘wow, I’m a shoe cobbler!'” McFarland told Fox 13. “This person cares this much about a shoe cobbler, I’m going to give them all the time they want.”
On TikTok @americascobbler has 1.2 million followers. On Instagram, americascobbler has 624K. On YouTube, @americascobbler has 170K.
Commenters note the relaxing music, the pleasurable sounds of the dozens of special tools wielded with skill and precision, and the incredibly satisfying sight of watching a master craftsman at work.
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Lastly, McFarland said that a two-thirds majority, it seems, of the comments on his videos and picture decks involve people expressing an interest in learning the craft, which he says is the most satisfying part of his success; generating interest among the next generation of cobblers.
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He recommends going to cobbler shops nearby and asking if they are willing to offer work as an apprentice. He adds that it gives the old cobblers an avenue into retirement while offering the prospective amateur the best possible start. A typical apprenticeship takes 3 to 5 years.
WATCH his appearance on Extraordinary Ordinary…
KEEP This Man’s Viral Train Going By Sharing Some Of His Videos With Your Friends…