For Philadelphia startup Coblr, reducing consumption is more than just the latest social media trend: empowering consumers to repair rather than buy new is their entire mission.
Cofounded by Emily Watts and Leslie Bateman in 2023, Coblr’s online store offers mail-in repair services for a variety of footwear and leather goods.
Watts and Bateman, who is based in Boston, met in 2022 and bonded over a shared love of repair. As frequent secondhand shoppers and cobbler patrons, they grew frustrated by a decline in options and accessibility in the repair industry.
“It’s hard to find repair people, not just shoe repair, but tailors and specialty artisans,” says Watts. “And then, once you do, it’s an industry that has been untouched by technology.”
With their experience at technology startups — Watts was the COO of employee scheduling app Sling until it was acquired by Toast, while Bateman spent a few years at Uber — the pair brought Bateman’s “crazy idea” to start an online repair business to life. After securing a partnership with a cobbler in Boston, they launched coblrshop.com. Now headquartered in Philadelphia, the business was named “Most Innovative Fashion & Apparel Reuse Company” at the 2024 Reusies.
It’s hard to find repair people, not just shoe repair, but tailors and specialty artisans.”
— Emily Watts, Coblr
Here’s how Coblrshop works: first, submit a repair order on the website. There are à la carte options — boots, dress shoes, heels — for common repairs, but most customers request a custom quote. A few days later, you’ll receive a prepaid shipping box. Once you send off your shoes, Coblrshop matches them with a cobbler; they’re repaired and shipped back to you in approximately two weeks.
When consumers are choosing between repairing shoes and ditching them for a new pair, Watts hopes that Coblrshop encourages them to think about cost-per-wear instead of the initial price tag.
“The goal is to make repair mainstream again, and in many cases, the first choice over buying new,” says Watts.
Watts and Bateman didn’t stop with the repair business. In August 2024 they launched a business-oriented product, CoblrOS, for repair artisans and their operations.
“After a few months, we realized the opportunity here is in technology, and the pain points were still true,” says Watts.
Many cobblers and other repair businesses rely on outdated systems, or even solely on pen and paper. Watts and Bateman stepped in to build a platform to allow the repair artisans themselves to connect with the customers and brands they serve.
Both the repair shop and software sides of the business are aimed at growing the circular economy. And Watts wants to build their partnerships on both sides by connecting with local artisans and brands in Philadelphia.
“The future of circularity is local. It’s not sending things thousands of miles [away],” says Watts. “We want to keep that business as local as possible.”
With their widening network of brand and artisan partnerships, Watts hopes Coblr will help propel growth in Philly’s repair economy — and the city’s circular economy as a whole.
“This is an industry that needs some love,” says Watts. “If we can attract more people into repair and revive it, that would be amazing.”
