Article: MAN OF THE MONTH: Lindsay Stanley
MAN OF THE MONTH: Lindsay Stanley
For 23 years, if a New Farm local has had a problem with a pair of shoes, there's only ever been one answer: take them to Lindsay. Lindsay Stanley - known to many as @linzthecobbler - has spent more than two decades behind the bench at Lindsay's New Farm Shoe Service, quietly becoming one of the suburb's true institutions. He knows everyone in New Farm, remembers every name, and has a way of making people feel welcome the moment they walk through his door. A master of his craft, a keeper of stories (ask him about the working "shoe phone" he once built), and a man with a dry sense of humour and absolutely no time for timewasters.
For Nicky, he's been something of a shoe superhero over the years - always able to turn a job around in record time, no matter how impossible it seemed. The two go back nearly twenty years, with a genuine mutual respect built on a shared belief in quality, craftsmanship and timeless style over anything fast or fleeting. So when it came time to choose our Calexico Man of the Month, there was really only one cobbler for the job. We sat him down, styled him in Calexico Man, and asked him about community, craft, and the one shoe-care habit every man should adopt (but almost nobody does).
Lindsay is wearing the...
Frescobol Carioca Antonio Linen Long Sleeve Shirt in Sand Dune
You’ve become something of a local institution. What do you think makes New Farm such a special community to be part of?
New Farm still feels like a real neighbourhood. People know each other, they stop for a chat, and there’s a genuine appreciation for local businesses and craftsmanship. I’ve watched families grow up here over the years, and there’s something really special about being part of people’s everyday lives in that way.
What’s the one shoe-care habit every man should adopt, but almost nobody does?
Using a shoe horn. Most people crush the heel cup getting their shoes on, and over time that breaks down the structure and shape of the shoe. A simple shoe horn helps your shoes last a lot longer and makes them much easier to slip into as well.
You’ve restored and cared for thousands of pairs over the years. Is there a memorable repair, client story, or pair of shoes that has stayed with you?
One that always stands out was when I was asked to make the famous “shoe phone” for Maxwell Smart after doing work for Movie World. It was a fully functioning rotary phone built into the base of the shoe. Definitely not your everyday repair job, but it was a really fun challenge and something very different from the kind of work I’d normally do.
You’ve worked with Calexico and Nicky for nearly two decades. What’s made that relationship work for so long?
I think it comes down to a shared appreciation for quality and longevity. They genuinely care about craftsmanship and timeless style rather than fast fashion, and that’s always aligned with the way I approach my work. Over time it’s become more than business — there’s a real trust, friendship, mutual honesty, integrity, and understanding that’s kept it strong for so long.
When you’re not in the shop, what does a great Brisbane weekend look like for you?
Saturday usually starts with a motorbike ride, a good coffee somewhere along the way, and catching up with old friends, then finishing the day with dinner with family. Sundays are much slower, a sleep-in, taking it easy, and properly winding down before the week starts again.
You spend your life around quality craftsmanship. Has that shaped the way you dress or what you invest in?
Definitely. Working with well-made products every day teaches you to appreciate things that are built properly and designed to last. I’d always rather buy one good-quality piece that lasts years than constantly replace things.
Lindsay is wearing the...
Avant Toi Camouflage Effect V Neck Cardigan in Antilope
Sunplel Short Sleeve Crew Neck T-Shirt in Dark Cedar
Jacob Cohen Bard 5 PKT Slim Fit in 500D Black Leather Patch
We’ve styled you in Calexico Man, what pieces instantly felt like “you”?
Honestly, all three outfits felt very natural to me. They were comfortable, relaxed and timeless, nothing too loud, just classic pieces that felt easy to wear and well made. But I must say the cardigan was one of my favourite pieces, it was a really unique piece with subtle colour. I like wearing things that are a bit different, but still light and comfortable.
There's a certain kind of man who'd rather own one good thing for years than replace something cheap forever - and Lindsay is exactly that man. It's the same no-nonsense philosophy that's kept his bench busy for 23 years, and the same thread that's tied him to Calexico for nearly twenty of them. Craftsmanship, longevity, quick turnarounds when you need them most, and that dry humour that's made him a New Farm favourite.
If your favourite pair needs a little love, you'll find Lindsay our Local Celebrity at Shop 88D Merthyr Road, New Farm - or follow along at @linzthecobbler. And the pieces that felt instantly like him? They're waiting in-store and online at calexicoman.com.au.
Nicky Xx
Written by Admin Calexico
