YORKVILLE — Shoemaker Boneventura Di Lorenzo, lovingly called "Lorenzo" by those who know him, only bought one pair of shoes for his family in his entire life — his daughter's wedding shoes.
For nearly 50 years, the Italian-born shoe repairman, worked 80-hour weeks at his shop, repairing soles and patching holes.
He opened his first shop on First Avenue, then moved to a space on East 86th Street and Third Avenue, where he stayed for six years. He's been running out of the current space at 323 E. 85th St. for the past 35 years, he said.
With work quieting down and his age climbing higher, the 81-year-old decided to close up shop for good on Oct. 31.
"Fifty years. That's enough," Di Lorenzo said in a thick Italian accent. "I'm OK. It's time to rest."
To make sure his years of service on the Upper East Side don't go uncelebrated, Ryan's Daughter pub across the street is throwing a retirement party for him on Nov. 20.
Already more than 50 people, including neighbors and nearby business owners, have RSVP'd to the celebration at the pub, which will have food from Schaller & Weber and a cake from Glaser's Bakery — both locally owned businesses a stone's throw away, according to Jim Gerding, a co-owner of Ryan's Daughter.
Di Lorenzo will arrive in style — a car service will pick him up at his home in the Bronx, Gerding said.
"We would like him to get the nod that he deserves for persevering [in his business]," Gerding said. "Especially in this day and age, keeping a well-established business for that long in New York is a bit of work as the neighborhood continually tears down tenements. It's a great testament to him, not just for being in the business for 50 years but also because he is so well-liked and loved."
Di Lorenzo, who was born in Benevento, Italy, learned the shoe-making trade at age 4 from his uncle of the same name, Boneventura Di Lorenzo, who ended up opening a shop on the corner of East 82nd Street in 1967. Di Lorenzo followed his uncle there and began his New York career in haste.
Over the decades, the number of people coming to his shop dwindled, Di Lorenzo said. He used to make $2,000 each week, but by the time he closed up shop, he was lucky to bring in $400 or $500, he said.
"Every year my business was going down," he said. "Everyone is buying cheap shoes and throwing them away. It doesn't pay the rent."
On Tuesday, Di Lorenzo was cleaning up his shop alone with his machines, throwing unneeded items away.
The iconic neon repair sign — a red outline of shoe with the word "repair" lit up in green inside — was missing. To honor Di Lorenzo, Ryan's Daughter purchased the sign and plans to display it for the party.
When asked what he thought about the celebration, Di Lorenzo simply smiled and said, "I know nothing."
For more information about the party for Di Lorenzo, email Gerding at jim@ryansdaughter.nyc or call the pub at (212) 333-1232.
