French sustainable trainer brand Veja has recently opened its first standalone sneaker repair temple in Paris. Known as the 'General Store,' this repair shop, located at 11 Rue de Marseille, offers cobbler and tailoring services to fix and extend the life of sneakers and clothing for any brand.
The store is designed to serve as a hub of sustainability, featuring a workshop-come-showroom with a minimalist, wooden interior. The design was crafted by a team of young French architects from Alors Studio. The space also showcases a variety of products, including books, furniture, shoe care items, stationery, and other responsible brands.
One of the notable features of the General Store is its commitment to renewable energy. The store is powered by renewable energy supplied by Enercoop, France's only electric utility cooperative.
This initiative builds on Veja's cobbler project, which was launched in June 2020 with the aim of 'cleaning, repairing, and collecting' sneakers to help them last longer. The project began in Darwin, Bordeaux, with the establishment of the first cobbler station. It later expanded to include a concession at Paris's Galeries Lafayette in July 2021.
Since its inception, the cobbler project has successfully repaired over 3,500 pairs of sneakers from various brands. Veja has continued to expand its repair services, with in-store repair stations now available at its Berlin and Madrid stores. Additionally, the brand has partnered with Log'ins, a reinsertion company, to set up a repair station inside a movable container. This collaboration has enabled the repair of more than 1,000 pairs of sneakers per month for resale.
