Apache Services, a family-owned shoe repair, key cutting and engraving shop on Tait Street in Dalkeith, is marking 42 years in business since John Cheney founded it in 1982.
Cheney, who moved to Dalkeith from England, named the business after a combination of his wife’s name and his own surname. It is now run by his daughter, Sharlene Bain, and her husband Robert, who have kept the shop’s traditional look largely unchanged while adding modern equipment such as a new glass engraving machine, and introducing services like professional trainer cleaning to reach younger customers.
The business has weathered real setbacks, including initial hostility toward John Cheney when he first opened, and a period when Robert was treated for cancer, during which Cheney came out of retirement to help keep the shop running. Sharlene says the personal relationships built with customers, especially during the cost-of-living crisis, are central to the shop’s survival. While their own children do not plan to take over, Sharlene and Robert remain committed to serving the town for as long as they can.
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Source: Midlothian View.
