The Only Shoe Repair was a beloved cobbler shop run by the Derouin family in Rochester, MN from 1960 to 2022. The building was built in 1905. It served as a home and a business as it evolved.

Matt Jewison, local entrepreneur and goofball, had his eye on the building with a dream of transforming it into a neighborhood bar. His wife, Frankie Jewison, a nurse, wasn't super stoked about the idea. Well... as it happens, the building sold. The dream died.

A few years later, the building went back up for sale. Timing in life was just better, and Frankie was kinda into the idea now. Matt recruited his buddy Jack Lester, owner of Jack's Bottle Shop and a lifetime service industry professional. Jack was down and the idea was starting to turn into a real possibility. Jack and Matt had a chat with their buddy, Eric Kramlinger, who owned a recording studio and had a consulting background, and he was ready to roll.

In September 2024, this ragtag crew of Matt, Frankie, Jack, & Eric ("The Cobblers") bought the building and spent a little over a year fixing it up! The building is located in the Lowertown neighborhood and carries a rich history of good memories and connection, credit to the Derouin family.

On January 31, 2026, The Shoe Beverage Bar opened. The Shoe employees and the community have given the place life. We are having fun and are grateful.