Kaneko took a shine to fine footwear, now he’s sharing

Justin Kaneko says he was a typical T-shirt, shorts and slippers kind of guy until high school, when he discovered the beauty of handcrafted shoes.

Saving up his birthday and Christmas gift money, plus earnings from a campus job at Punahou School, it took him about a year to scrape up enough to buy his first pair of $500 Alden boots, crafted to be resoled as many times as needed to last a lifetime.

He hasn’t looked back, and now, at 19, owns seven pairs of bespoke shoes.

“I don’t have a lot because I prefer quality over quantity,” said Kaneko. “I find that in a lot of cases, older clothes and shoes were made to last a long time.”

In caring for his own shoes, he has turned his knowledge and appreciation for fine footwear into a summer business. Last year, the Punahou graduate returned home from Fordham University in New York City to launch Shoe Shine Hawaii, a shoe-shine stand in downtown Honolulu. Over the eight weeks he was home from school, he spiffed up more than 400 pairs of shoes for Honolulu businessmen and attorneys.

“People who saw me started looking down at their shoes and noticing they could look better, and it brought nostalgia back for some people who told me, ‘I haven’t seen something like this for a long time.’”

Shoe-shine businesses thrived in the 1940s through ’60s, when stands could be found at railroad and airline terminals, as well as Manhattan’s crowded subways. They started disappearing with the arrival of a casual, throw-away culture and new materials that replaced fine, long-lasting leathers.

They’ve returned with a resurgence of sartorial fashion.

Kaneko’s rates start at $6 for basic-care, dropoff service, or $7 while you wait (about 10 to 15 minutes). Shoes can be dropped off in the morning and depending on his workload, be ready for pickup at the end of his shift, or the next day. Basic care involves cleaning and conditioning leather and buffing to create a matte finish.

His Refinement service is $12 dropoff and $14 while you wait (20 to 30 minutes). This deluxe service starts with the basic menu and adds wax and polish for a gloss finish. Mastery results in a mirror finish, at $18 for dropoff and $21 for counter service.

This year, he added suede to his area of expertise, at $12 for dropoff only with a three-day turnaround. The service involves a thorough shampoo, conditioning and waterproofing. There is a 24-hour period between steps to allow the shoe to dry properly.

“It takes time and effort to take care of shoes, and most of the time, people don’t have the patience and would rather come to someone like me,” Kaneko said.

One of his first customers, Colbert Matsumoto, executive chairman of Island Insurance, echoed his sentiment, saying, “I brought him several pairs: work shoes, dress shoes. Before, I would polish them myself but he does a much better job. It’s like washing your car: It’s a real luxury to have someone do it for you.”

Whether Kaneko continues the business in some form after finishing college is a question mark.

“I want to be an entrepreneur,” he said. “I’m not sure where that will take me, but that’s what I’m aiming for.”

Shoe Shine Hawaii is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, at 1000 Bishop St. (at King Street near 24-Hour Fitness). Services are cash only. Call 343-3028, or visit shoeshinehawaii.com.