Comments on: Column: Losing a Friend, and Community

By: Mary Jo Easthope Desprez

Mary Jo Easthope Desprez — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 22:06:51 +0000

Thank you for writing this! The memorial service was also a wonderful tribute and a bit of an Ann Arbor ‘ol school reunion. For those of us that grew up on Pontiac Trail with the Brown family it is so nice to have his memory honored this way.

By: Valerie Mangual

Valerie Mangual — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:13:22 +0000

Mr. Brown has polished, conditioned, re-heeled, re-soled, stitched and mended my family’s shoes since we moved to Ann Arbor 18years ago.
He was a good cobbler and his work was always excellent. I’ll always remember the short and stern lecture I received when I brought a pair of shoes that needed to be glued. Br. Brown did not like glued shoes. I hope that one of his grandson’s or granddaughters takes on the fine and ancient craft that Mr. Brown did so well.

By: David Shand

David Shand — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 01:43:53 +0000

Nice tribute Bacs. He was a good man. Used to leave holes in the fingers of my hockey gloves so I could grab jerseys. Now that’s custom fitting.

By: ScratchingmyHead

ScratchingmyHead — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 01:00:04 +0000

You know. It’s funny. From the time I came her to go to school in the early 70′s, this is the only shoe shop I ever visited. Even when I moved to Detroit for a brief stint, I still did business with College Shoe repair. I never knew the gentleman’s name but he always waited on me and always took the time to explain what needed to be done. My condolences to the family.

By: John Herlocher

John Herlocher — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:59:28 +0000

Well done John. Your tribute and Paul Helber’s talk at the service both paint a picture that will not soon be forgotten.

By: Bev (Brown) McDonnell

Bev (Brown) McDonnell — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:24:11 +0000

John,
Thank you for the lovely tribute to my late Father and for your support of small businesses everywhere. “Mr. Brown” would have been very touched.

By: Patricia Garcia

Patricia Garcia — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:51:00 +0000

Poignant tribute, John. Thank you.

By: Sharon P.

Sharon P. — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:46:26 +0000

What a wonderful tribute, thank you for sharing your memories.

By: sally m

sally m — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:27:39 +0000

Nice tribute. One of the people at the funeral was “Ozzie” who works at Park Shoe Repair. Her father worked for thirty-some years at College Shoe Repair. I’ll make sure she sees this.