Shoeologist Marco Ramirez Plans to Keep Shining Shoes at LA's Union Station Until He Can't

Los Angeles Union Station is home to one of the largest railroad passenger terminals in the Western United States. The station was built in 1939 and was an immediate success. Many trains were coming in from different places every day during World War II. 

However, as the years passed people started to use the train less. Cars and planes became a popular method of transportation. 

Nonetheless, Union Station still stands strong and is known as a historic place that holds a lot of memories. 

Nowadays, transportation isn’t the only thing that can be found at Union Station. There are businesses within the station to accompany the historic place. Among all the businesses is one called SHOESHINE by Marco. 

Maria Celeste Alfaro

Marco Ramirez, a shoeologist, was given the opportunity to open a shoe shine business at Union Station eight and a half years ago. 

At SHOESHINE by Marco, customers can expect to find an enthusiastic storyteller ready to help out customers with their shoes. Ramirez offers three different services at his business: he shines, repairs and sells shoes. 

“If I won’t shine your shoes, I will repair your shoes, and if I don't repair your shoes with a good chance I will try to sell you a pair of shoes,” Ramirez said. 

It took a while for Ramirez to get where he is now. But he did it by working hard and networking along the way. 

Ramirez is from the state of Nayarit, Mexico. He came to America when he was 9 years old in 1972. His family and he lived on the eastside of Los Angeles, specifically Skid Row, for quite some time. Ramirez wanted to help out his family and decided to do so by working at a young age. 

At around the age of 13 or 14, he and a few friends would go out to the streets to shine shoes to bring home some money. Back then a shoe shine cost 50 cents. The minimum wage for a shoe shiner was $2.50, but he stated that he would make more than that. He didn’t know why, but he figured it was because people saw a young boy trying to help out his family, and they understood the struggle. 

At the age of 17, he decided to join the military. He served for three years and was discharged at the age of 20. During his time at the military he learned many things, one of them being how to shine shoes. Although he already knew how to do this, he welcomed the learning experience. 

“It is not that you learn, it is mandatory that you try and look your best,” Ramirez said.

He continued to use that skill once he got out of the military and made a job out of it. 

After a couple of months of being out of the military he landed a job with the Los Angeles Athletic Club, a private club, where he shines shoes. He took a risk with them and decided to turn down the job offer at the Post Office. He now has 40 years of working with the private club and states he will continue to do so for as long as he can. 

While he worked at the club, he worked at other part-time jobs -- carpenter, greeter, bus boy and more. He also had the chance to open his own shoeshine stand at different locations such as the Gas Company Tower in Downtown Los Angeles, the U.S Bank Tower, one of the Wilshire buildings and more. He has done a little bit of everything, but when Union Station chose him for this business he stopped and settled with both jobs.

For some time he was running back and forth between both jobs. Sometimes he would do this three times a day, but that all changed when COVID-19 came in 2020.

COVID-19 affected Union Station and like everyone else, the businesses at Union Station had to shut down. This affected Ramirez drastically because he relied on both jobs. 

For a while he was home, but decided to look for a job while he waited for businesses to open up. He was fortunate to find a job quickly through the network he had built at the club. One of his friends gave him a part time job in the meat department at the Big Saver supermarket. He worked for about four months helping customers with their meat products and orders. During this time he also worked as a caterer. 

Eventually, he was allowed to reopen, but it wasn’t long after that he was forced to close again. It was a tough time but he made the most out of what he had. 

When things slowly started to return to normal, he decided to take it easier and only go twice a day to his jobs. Before COVID-19, he had another coworker helping him, but when he returned he went solo. 

Nonetheless he has made it work. Now a typical day for him looks like this:

He starts off his day at the Athletic Club at 7 a.m. and leaves at 9 a.m. to Union Station. There, he tries to stay until 3 p.m. but it all depends on the day. Once he is done at Union Station, he goes back to the club and is there from 3:30 p.m. to sometimes 6:30 p.m.

Ramirez gets to choose his own schedule, which he appreciates. He enjoys doing what he does which is why he goes back and forth.

Ramirez is not on social media. He gets his customers through word of mouth or at Union Station. He recognizes that business is slow especially because of COVID-19, but this doesn’t phase him because over the years he has developed a clientele. 

Being at the center of people’s transportation has allowed him to meet many people from different backgrounds. He has developed many friendships throughout the years. To him, customers that keep coming back to his business are customers who become long term friends. 

“As long as the customers keep showing up, I will keep coming back,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez feels blessed that he has made the friendships he has over the years through his business.

SHOESHINE by Marco can be found inside of Union Station, next to Starbucks and Wetzel’s Pretzels. He is there Monday through Friday. He charges $8 and up.

As of right now he has no plans of retiring from both jobs any time soon.

“If god is willing as long as I have my health and I am able to move my hands and snap the rag I am going to be here,” Ramirez said.  

This story first appeared on NBCLA's sister station, Telemundo 52. Haz clic aquí para leer esta historia en español