Walking the streets of any major metropolitan city often yields clues to the history of that city. From faded hand-painted advertising signs on the side of brick buildings to statues and plaques offering visitor insights to the denizens who lived there decades, generations, or even centuries before. When I came across this lovely shoe repair sign in stages of decay, I knew that I had to try and capture it as it would only be a matter of time before someone would authorize a painter to come in and paint it all white and removing any trace of this unique handpainted red sign advertising shoe repairs for a store in New York City, NY.