From Madras to Melchor, and Chicago to Chetumal - any city you go, you're very likely to find a shoe shine man plying his trade somewhere in the city.
Except Belize….seems it's easier to find a humble man in the House of Representatives, than it is to find a shoe shine in this city. That is until this afternoon.
Herman Welch opened up his shoe shine operation on the ground floor of the Commercial Center in the downtown area. And though he started on the ground floor, he was helped out by some friends in high places:..
Monica Bodden
"How did you come up with the idea?"
Herman Welch
"Well, I lived in America for some time and I have been doing this for 15 years, and I see that Belize need it, so It so I decided to go to the council and asked them to assist them and bring it to Belize."
Roger Espejo, City Councillor
"We saw it fit as a good idea to start a shoe shining business that surprisingly that no one has ever started downtown Belize City. Any time you travel over the border or travel abroad. It's a good business; it's a noble business and a profitable business."
Herman Welch
"See I have been doing this professional wise I have my one business in America and this is something I love to do to give people and not only this but I intend to have more chairs and get kids, young kids to come and do the job because it's this something that is dying and I wanted them to do it back in Belize."
Monica Bodden
"Would actually come back here and pay for your shoes to get shine?"
Interviewee
"Well, most definitely I would pay double to get it done."
Monica Bodden
"You were impress?"
Interviewee
"Of course this is a nice shine, It's worth the price, my shoes havent look like this for about two months."
Herman Welch
"I have something here, and this young man will be the first one to pick out of it. It can get a free shoe shine or 2 dollars discount off it."
Interviewee
"I will try again next time, I wasn't so lucky."
Seven dollars is the most you'll pay for a wash, conditioner and polish.
