People usually enter a shoe shop with a very specific purpose in mind: buying a new pair of shoes – just like at Mutschlechner Shoe Store in Mitterolang. Yet for many customers, the shop is much more than simply a place to make a purchase. Some people stop by to get their shoes repaired, a service that has become increasingly rare nowadays. Others come in for a quick hello and, if time allows, to enjoy a friendly chat with a member of the family. Like many long-established local businesses, the family-run Mutschlechner store has long since evolved beyond its original role as a workshop and shoe shop, becoming a well-loved meeting place.
Step inside and enjoy a touch of nostalgia – welcome to Mutschlechner Shoe Store, where walking in feels a little like stepping back in time. At first glance, the modest-sized shop impresses with its simplicity: shoe boxes as far as the eye can see, in some places stacked right up to the ceiling, just a handful of models on display and an almost understated atmosphere. Yet appearances can be deceiving. Elegant shoes, sports footwear, models for women, men and children, alongside accessories such as socks, belts, handbags and much more – the shop soon reveals itself to be a real treasure trove. Priska and Monika, the second-generation owners of the business, know exactly “where the shoe pinches”. They have a keen sense for their customers’ needs and where to find the perfect solution. The product range is diverse yet carefully curated: there are no off-the-shelf products here, as the sisters emphasise firmly believe in quality over quantity. Footwear “Made in Italy”, crafted either in South Tyrol or elsewhere in Italy, short supply chains, predominantly small-scale manufacturers, professional advice and personalised customer care are the key to their success. Their business philosophy is simple: to find the perfect pair of shoes for every customer and ensure complete satisfaction. Nobody is ever encouraged to buy something they do not need. It is the traditional shoe shop of years gone by, where customers genuinely came first and everyone received personal attention. Not merely a retail space, but a true artisan workshop. And indeed, tucked away at the back of the store is the small workshop where Josef Mutschlechner still spends his days carrying out repairs and mendings. Now 92 years old, the store’s founder continues to work with the very same passion day after day.
It all began in 1953. Having just qualified as a master shoemaker, Josef opened a small workshop in the basement of his home in Mitterolang. At first, he earned a living through small fixings and made to measure footwear, gradually expanding the business to include the sale of various brands and styles. In 1960, he married his wife Frieda, who has been by his side ever since. Together they raised four children, three daughters and a son, through years that were not always easy. Economic and political uncertainties were common, and growing a business whilst raising four children required great determination. It was a journey marked by many highs and lows, a constant balancing act that had to be mastered with dedication and perseverance. Over the years, the business changed premises several times before finally settling, in 1992, at its current location on Peter Sigmayr Platz 1/b.
With passion and extraordinary skill, Josef practised the trade he had learned as a young man for decades, carrying out repairs, manufacturing belts and backpacks, but above all crafting shoes – particularly hiking boots. It was an immense undertaking, with every piece painstakingly made by hand and requiring countless hours of work. A commitment whose true value could hardly ever be reflected in its price. The number of shoe lasts Josef created throughout his life is impossible to tell – they are literally too many to count.
The Mutschlechner children grew up alongside and, in some cases, within their parents' business, watching their father Josef at work. Some were more fascinated than others, but in the end it was two of the daughters – Priska and her older sister Monika – who officially took over the family business in 2006.
Neither trained as a shoemaker; instead, both specialised in commerce and retail. Fortunately, their father Josef still enjoys excellent health and continues to spend every afternoon in the workshop, carrying out cobblings with the same enthusiasm and dedication as ever. Customers greatly appreciate him and come from near and far to benefit from his expertise. After all, very few craftspeople nowadays – not only in this region but elsewhere too – still practise the traditional trade of shoemaking whilst also offering repair services. In most cases, such work is now carried out only by specialist orthopaedic businesses. For Josef Mutschlechner, however, cobbling shoes has always been a matter close to his heart. Shoes deserve care, respect and appreciation, and nothing gives him greater satisfaction than seeing a customer happily wearing a restored pair once again. It is this conviction, too, that inspires his daughters to continue the work their parents devoted their lives to. Although neither is a trained cobbler, they have clearly inherited some of their father’s talent, picking up a few tricks of the trade over the years that now allow them to carry out minor fixings themselves.
For the sisters, being able to continue offering a cobbling service is just as important as raising awareness of the benefits that quality footwear can bring to people’s wellbeing. Ultimately, what matters most is the satisfaction of the customers who walk through the door – a source of both fulfilment and motivation. On this, the entire Mutschlechner family is in complete agreement.
In an age dominated by online shopping and a throwaway culture, Mutschlechner Shoe Store stands as a shining example of a traditional family business: a small oasis of craftsmanship, expertise and authenticity that infuses a village with much-needed vitality and soul.
