“If I am born again, I will become a shoemaker again. With honest work, with this craft I managed to buy a total of eight homes – in Kardzhali, Momchilgrad and Istanbul.
The story of 73-year-old Suleiman Suleiman, shared for 24rodopi.com. The oldest active shoemaker in the Eastern Rhodopes.
His small studio is located in the center of Kardzhali.
Born in the village of Cherna Skala, he learned the craft from a master brigade from Haskovo. There were two Armenians, two or three Turks and a Bulgarian.
Then he himself became a foreman in the shoe shop in Momchilgrad. He led 18 people.
“A total of 200-300 people worked in the factory at that time. But only our group made the shoes, 150 pairs a month. We worked normally.
I received BGN 1,200 per month, the rest, according to the grade and the work done, between BGN 500 and 800. “I have never insulted or quarreled with the workers,” Suleiman told our team.
He has trained others. Masters who currently work in Momchilgrad, others in Izmir, Bursa, Istanbul.
The 73-year-old man makes shoes from 30 types of leather. As well as “special”, as he calls them, for famous musicians, one of whom is Ivo Papazov-Ibryama.
He still keeps his shoemaker’s diploma, obtained in Dimitrovgrad. And if she is born again, she will make shoes again…
The great master of the small studio.
More on the topic – in the video:
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