Lake Mary business receives needed rent relief but eviction still looms

LAKE MARY, Fla. - A shoe repair shop in Lake Mary has been open for decades, but its future is uncertain after being hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, some help is coming from the community giving the owners hope. The family-owned Lake Mary Shoe Repair and Alterations has been serving customers for more than 30 years, but they've never seen harder times.

"It's been very difficult, getting this eviction notice Monday," explained owner Steven Salem. "They're asking us to leave within five days and we got this today."

Salem said revenue is down 85 percent and they owe five months of rent

"We're trying to do what we can to survive, but some things are out of our control," he added.

That's where customer Jeff Small comes into the picture.

"I asked him how business was going, some small talk and he said not good at all that he was behind in his rent," said Small, founder of the Sanford Relief Fund.

When Small came to pick up his shoes, he left a big tip --  $3,200, to cover one month of rent

A business owner himself, Small helps local shops with rent, and so far, Sanford Relief Fund has helped six businesses since the pandemic started, and Small said there's no slowing down.

"Small business is the root of our country. We've got to keep these people in business so we can survive," he said.

A glimmer of hope during these difficult times.

"It was very unexpected and it really meant a lot to me," Salem said.  "Made me actually believe that there still are good people in this world and people do care."

The family still has thousands more that they owe and are now hoping for a miracle to stop them from closing for good.

"It hurts. It does hurt. I enjoy this business, I enjoy what I do, and if I had to close it up and leave it's going to hurt."

The family is meeting with an attorney this week to see what their options are.