Unity's cobbler puts heart and 'sole' in 63-year career

UNITY — Home did not start out in Unity, or Saskatchewan, or even in Canada. The life of Dusan Maljan started out in 1934 in what was then communist Yugoslavia (now Croatia).

From 1958 to 2022, a remarkable six decades and some, Dusan Maljan has been part of Unity’s business community, raised a family in town and made hundreds of friends through what he claims were business-related transactions although many will say the friendships are due to the man he is. Starting out as a cobbler, the demand for his talent in multi-product repair helped the business grow over the years.

After mandatory service in the army for two years in Yugoslavia and wanting to live in a free country, Dusan Maljan fled his home, escaping to Austria in 1955. He lived there for a short time before moving to Germany, then France, before boarding a ship in England and emigrating to Canada, landing in Quebec. He had hoped to move to Victoria where he heard the climate was similar to home but he ended up in Saskatoon.

There immigration officials proposed several options but he told them he didn’t have the finances to go through with them, even though he was offered a loan to help out. Instead he accepted a job with Unity businessman Leo Schafer, who offered shoe repair, amongst other services.

Maljan had worked in Europe in the shoe industry, on an assembly line making new shoes as well as doing some minor repairs. The job he took with Schafer allowed him to learn more about shoe repair and expand into clothing, reupholstering and repairing of other products such as canvases and tarps.

Taking the train to Unity was unnerving. Maljan did not speak fluent English and, when the train stopped at every small town, he kept repeating “Unity” out loud, hoping he wouldn’t miss the stop. When the train did, in fact, stop in Unity, the conductor assured Maljan he was at the right location, and Leo Schafer was waiting for him, in August, 1958.

Soon afterwards, the Kodiak boot company from Winnipeg heard of his work and offered him a job, however it paid only 82 cents an hour whereas Schafer was paying $1 an hour, plus room and board.

Maljan worked with Schafer until he married his wife Sylvia Mann in 1961. After that he bought equipment and ventured out on his own.

From the start he shared space with Mitchell Agencies – first being a tenant of Leo Mitchell, then son Murray Mitchell, and finally third-generation son-in-law Deon Delhommeau, moving alongside Leo into a new building –the current premises –in 1967. A 1984 article in the local newspaper marking the retirement of Leo and the purchase of the agency by Murray noted “Clients … will be reassured to know that … the building’s permanent No. 1 tenant, Maljan Shoe Repair will continue to occupy its present premises.”

When Maljan’s retirement was announced on social media, accolades and tributes quickly poured in recounting hundreds of fond memories of “Duse” as he is fondly referred to.

The hairdresser of the shoe business

Maljan says he had purchased two chairs from the old theatre for the sole purpose of having space for people to visit. He wanted to provide a place where people could share their stories or enjoy a coffee break together. It was an informal drop-in spot and, as wife Sylvia quipped, “Dusan was the hairdresser of the shoe business.”

Janice Lesson stated perfectly, in her congratulatory post on social media, “If those two chairs could talk/write a book of all the stories told there, it would be a bestseller forever.”

Maljan never hurried people away because he loved people; he felt it was a small gesture of appreciation to let them tell their stories. He knew people often just needed someone to listen and it was a bonus for anyone who visited his business. He offered the bartender’s ear in his shoe repair shop.

Multiple people told the Press-Herald / SASKTODAY.ca that, although Dusan credits the people for his happy life, he doesn’t always recognize how much happiness he provided the people in return. Dozens remarked on the exuberant smile, the happiness gleam in his eye and the way he would listen to everyone wholeheartedly, regardless of their age. A former travelling SGI adjustor said, “He made my whole day when we’d have a quick visit while I was working from Deon’s.”

The twinkle in his eye and the warm, engaging, ever-present smile beamed throughout the interviews as Maljan recounted many moments, all revolving around the people he encountered, whether through work, the golf course, the curling club or around town. It was not only Unity residents who grew to know “Duse” and rely on his work – he made many friends among customers from Luseland, Wilkie, Cut Knife, Kerrobert, Macklin and the farming communities.

“I loved the people, they were always so good to me and there were no strangers,” said Maljan. “Even from my initial arrival, and being (a) foreigner who could hardly speak English, right until today, I never felt a moment of discrimination. I met lots of guys and made many friendships” through his work and his recreational pursuits.

Although the business evolved over the years, Maljan discovered the opportUNITY in Unity long before it became a town and chamber of commerce slogan. At one time, before going out to the fields in the spring, farmers would bring him their leather work boots to repair. He recalls not being able to walk through his shop after a visit home to Croatia; hundreds of pairs of boots had been brought in, awaiting his return.

One of his most unique jobs was when a man from Cut Knife commissioned him to create a pair of flip flops for his brother who was a trucker out of the USA. The trucker had to use public showers and needed footwear to protect him. Asking why he didn’t go out and buy a pair, Maljan learned the size needed and understood the request. The shoe size went from the palm of his hand to his elbow and was then referred to as a size 14, and now may be an even higher number.

He has sharpened skates for four generations of family members. He has sharpened skates for all the area senior men’s hockey teams. He helped frantic kids who ran in at the last minute, needing to have skates ready for a game in 15 minutes, fulfilling their request and promising they could pay after the game or the next day.

Maljan always tried to make things simple for customers. Sometimes people would come in, frantically requesting a zipper replacement on their favourite coat when maybe all they needed was a new zipper slide. Examples such as these demonstrate the down-to-earth, family-like business he ran for so many years.

Services offered were expanded

Services offered expanded by demand. He has repaired thousands of swather canvases. As no one else in the area sharpened knives, lawn mowers and saw blades, he added that service to the business along with, over the years, sports bag repairs, coverall repairs, tarp repairs, the zipper replacements and more. He was happy to learn along the way and even happier that people continued to need and support his business.

When figure skates became more sophisticated, Maljan visited a professional figure skate sharpener in Calgary to learn the correct techniques. He was learning from one of the best as this man sharpened the skates for 1973 world champion and ’72 Olympic silver medallist Karen Magnussen.

A Edmonton Journal article written in 1988 and on display at the Unity and District Heritage Museum referred to Maljan’s business as “a dying trade," but, in the intervening 34 years, Maljan never ran out of work to do.

Maljan turned 88 on Jan. 16 and, even though he’s apprehensive about leaving the community without the services he offered, he knows it is time. He feels very fortunate to have been healthy to date and doesn’t want to hang on because that could change at this time of life. He was quick to affirm he would continue to golf and curl, two things he is passionate about.

He is hoping to sell his shop and even offers to teach a newcomer. The business sale will include all the equipment and inventory with hopes a similar business can set up shop there and enjoy many of the same experiences he did. There is consistent demand for zipper replacements and for sharpening of skates, knives, blades, etc., and, on the shoe repair side, demand continues for repairs to cowboy and dress boots, as well as cutting spikes on ladies’ high heels.

Maljan did not expect a lifetime in this business however, looking back, he realizes he would not have wanted anything different, echoing the statement, “I loved it and I loved the people” many times throughout the interviews.

Not wanting a bunch of fanfare, to announce his retirement, he painted a simple message on his window, stating: “Dear Customers: I have retired. My business has come to an end. Many skates I have sharpened, hundreds of shoes I did mend. 63 years this was my workplace. 4 generations did come to me. What more did I love in life was me you came to see. Thank you, Dusan.”