How an immigrant from Armenia got his ‘American Dream’ as a cobbler in Mission Hills

Mike Pogos, the owner of Art Master Shoe Services in Mission Hills, is a cobbler who immigrated with his family from Armenia when he was 11.

“My father bought the business when we moved here,” Pogos said. “This became our American Dream.” Pogos says work like his is a dying art, and many people will just buy new shoes rather than fixing what they have.

The number of cobblers shops has dropped from over 100,000 in the 1930s to roughly 3,500–5,000 in U.S. today due to fast fashion, but the remaining cobblers like Pogos are in demand.

Before his family moved from Armenia to Los Angeles, Pogos’s family didn’t have the opportunity to own a business. “This business has been here since 1988,” Pogos said. “My father owned it before me.”

Pogos grew up working at Art Master Shoe Services before he took over. “We work on shoe repairs, keys, watch repairs, batteries,” Pogos said. “Anything the customer needs we can do.” With 30 years of leadership, he’s been able to become a familiar face for regulars.

As a small business, Pogos prioritizes customer satisfaction above all else. “If someone brings in something that doesn’t need repairs I let them know,” Pogos said. “I am after honesty not just money.”