Bhubaneswar, Oct. 19: The pair of favourite shoes that you had unwillingly put away after it got worn out can be mended and used again, courtesy a group of young entrepreneurs who has easy solution to your problem.

The youths have started a service that would impart a brand new look to old and worn out shoes. Their store, Revive Shoe Laundry, at Saheed Nagar not only offers repair services, but also has options for colour correction and maintenance.

The idea occurred to Shanti Bhushan Nayak, a 36-year-old software developer, when he could not get rid of his special pair of shoes that he had brought from his first salary.

"I had a sentimental attachment to that pair of shoes and was unable to throw it off. So, I thought of repairing it myself and after looking up the Internet about detergents and cleaning processes, I was finally able to give my favourite footwear a new look," said the entrepreneur hailing from Jagatsinghpur district. Nayak opened the store in August and already has a client base of 10,000.

They specialise in cleaning various types of shoes, including sports, suede, synthetic leather and buckle shoes. They also have expertise in removing dirt, bacteria and fungus besides stitching, pasting and removing odour. That apart, they also provide colour correction facilities that treat fading, removes scratch marks and erase oil and stains, thus restoring the look of the shoes.

"In a number of middle-class families, it is not possible to buy branded shoes very often although all of us have the passion to wear them. So, I realised that many would also be facing the same problem and decided to start a laundry for shoes," said Nayak.

His team of three friends are involved in the task. "First, we inspect the shoes to check the type of treatment it requires. It is followed by steps such as imparting colour, taking care of crack issues and pasting," said Nayak, who left a lucrative job to start the laundry service.

He adds that his clients include IT professionals, college students, sportspersons and employees of various factories and industries.

"At present, we receive orders for around 20 pair of shoes daily," said Nayak.

The process takes around two to three days for each pair and the price ranges between Rs 120 and 150 depending on the condition of the shoes.

Repairing and correction is also offered for sandals and leather bags, including handbags and laptop bags. The team plans to expand their services to other parts of the state and also start redesigning of women's shoes at their store.