The patriarch of the family chosen as the honourary marshals of the 54th Cochrane Labour Day Parade this weekend travelled many roads before making Cochrane his family’s home.
From Syria to Lebanon to Montreal to Calgary and finally to Cochrane in 1989, Tony Elain is known to many as the friendly owner/operator of Tony’s Shoe Repair.
The 79-year-old cobbler has come a long way, and he said he’s not going to move again – he loves Cochrane.
Elain joined his father – a well-respected shoemaker – and apprenticed in the family shoe repair business from the age of 10 in Syria. When he was 15, Elain left his father’s business and opened his own shoe repair shop two blocks away.
“My dad did a sole and heel for five lira, and I did it for half price,” he said with a smile that's half mischievous, half proud.
Elain’s father quickly grew tired of watching customers bypassing his shop and going to his son’s for lower prices, but his mother never complained about the extra household income.
“Every time I gave my mother money I’d say, ‘I’m so happy – I make more money than my dad,’ he said, laughing.
This situation was resolved about a year later, when Elain’s father got him back working in the original shoe shop.
The work ethic that served him so well in his early years has been passed along to the next generation, and the one after that.
Elain now owns the buildings on Cochrane’s main street that include “Tony’s Shoe Repair”, “Donair on the Run”, “Incredible Florist”, “Tony’s Work and Western Wear” and “Cochrane Floors and More.” His son Camille runs “Donair on the Run” and his other son Mike manages “Tony’s Work and Western Wear.” Camille’s 12-year-old daughter, meanwhile, often helps out at the donair shop on weekends.
Elain was born in Syria on April 3, 1943. He was a middle child, with four brothers and one sister. He immigrated to Canada, arriving in Calgary via Montreal in March 1971.
At first, upon arriving in Canada, he worked at a roofing job in the middle of winter for just 90 cents an hour.
“I had a hard time – it was 40 below in March. I’ve never forgot,” he said.
He moved on to better paying jobs, eventually saving enough to open Tony’s Shoe Repair in Market Mall in Calgary, where he worked 14-hour days to get the business up and running.
In 1989, he opened his shoe repair shop in downtown Cochrane, where he still works full time, and even attracts customers from Calgary.
He said he learned everything he knows about running a successful business from his dad.
“Honest work and decent price – people come back,” Elain said.
As his son Mike from Tony’s Work and Western Wear listened nearby, Elain told a story showing how he still seems to enjoy undercutting his competition – even when it’s family.
“I had a man in last week, I said I could fix his cowboy boots. He said, ‘Hey, that’s cheaper than your son,’” Elain laughed.
Mike said he aims to provide the same kind of service as his father.
“I was in Grade 3 and pretty stoked to go for a bike ride and he said ‘No, you’re coming to work with me,’” he said.
“He taught me the work ethic, and to always try your best – never do anything halfway. And I try to treat people the way you’d like to be treated.”
Elain wanted to make it absolutely clear how proud he was to have his family named as the parade marshals for the upcoming procession.
“I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, all the people from Cochrane and the surrounding area, for everything,” he said.
The Cochrane Labour Day Parade is set for Monday, Sept. 5 at 10 a.m., running down Centre Ave, Railway St. and First St. downtown.
