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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, January 25, 1992                   TAG: 9201300045
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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SHOE DAMAGE NOT RETAILER'S FAULT

IN RESPONSE to the letter Jan. 14, "Are retailers driving people's business away?":

Retailers should not be held responsible for shoes being torn up or damaged once they leave the store. It doesn't matter if the shoes cost $1 or $1,000, are worn one time or many. Shoes aren't made to survive walking off curbs or on concrete, gravel parking lots and cracks in sidewalks.

I've heard these complaints hundreds of times a week for 14 years. It's no more a fault of the retailers than it is the fault of the customer. No one is to blame.

I think people should know these problems can be taken care of. That's why shoe-repair shops are important. Shoe repairers are very proud of their skills. People would be amazed at what can be done to repair shoes.

Times are tough, and shoes are very expensive. People need to learn to care for what they have. MERLIN SINK ROANOKE

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