Raynham shoe repair reopens as new owner restores services

The longtime National Instant Shoe Repair in Raynham reopened under Miami owner Miguel “Michael” Better, who has been restoring the shop while shipping repairs to his Miami workshop and seeking a local cobbler.

Raynham's longtime shoe repair shop, formerly National Instant Shoe Repair, has reopened under new owner Miguel "Michael" Better. The shop had closed in late 2024 after the previous operator left customer orders and deposits behind. Property owner Bill McCaffrey placed an ad in June 2025 seeking a tenant, and Better, who runs shoe repair shops in Miami, took the key in August 2025. Better has been working to sort the backlog and restore service while searching for an experienced on-site cobbler. Key details: - Emery Dill ran National Instant Shoe Repair until his death in 2016; Ronald Mackenzie ran it afterward until his death in 2020, and his son closed the shop in late 2024. - Customers had left deposits and footwear remained locked up when the business closed, and some patrons reported difficulty reaching the former operator. - Owner Bill McCaffrey advertised the unit in June 2025 and met Miguel "Michael" Better, who took possession in August 2025. - Better has been shipping Raynham customers' shoes to his Miami workshop via FedEx for repairs, with turnaround generally ranging from three days to a week. - Mike West, a tenant at Dean's Plaza, has helped run the Raynham counter temporarily while Better looks for a full-time cobbler. - Better says he has not added extra charges for the long-distance repairs and hopes to bring a Miami employee to Massachusetts once arrangements permit. Summary: The reopening has restored a local repair option and begun clearing a backlog of customer work. Better continues to run repairs from Miami while seeking an experienced on-site cobbler, and he hopes to have a permanent local operator in place when circumstances allow.