Penn Station Shoe Repair and Shoe Shine is a small shoeshining business in New York City. On a recent weekday, customers sat down at the shoeshine business and pulled out newspapers and phones to read while their shoes got shined. The shoeshiners cleaned the footwear and added an oily substance to protect the shoes’ leather material. When finished, the customers paid eight dollars for the work. A sign hanging at the little business reads, “We’re not God, but we do save soles.” Shoeshining has a long history in the United States, dating back hundreds of years. But today, the tradition of getting a quick shine is weakening. Shoeshine stands are disappearing in cities and towns across the country. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified the business decline. More people work from home than in the past. And it has become popular to wear more casual work clothes. All this means fewer customers for shoeshining businesses. Nisan Khaimov owns the Penn Station stand. He said his stand would shine 80 to 100 shoes each workday before the pandemic. Now it is between 30 to 50 from Tuesday to Thursday and even fewer on Mondays and Fridays. The work-from-home model that is common across America is hurting his business. “Until people come back to work, the problems will not be solved,” said Khaimov.
Title: Shoeshine Businesses Disappearing in the US
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/A8.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Shoeshine Businesses Disappearing in the US' data-article-id='6420'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='10188'>Penn Station Shoe Repair and Shoe Shine is a small shoeshining business in New York City. </span> <span data-start-time='10188' data-end-time='24604'>On a recent weekday, customers sat down at the shoeshine business and pulled out newspapers and phones to read while their shoes got shined. </span> <span data-start-time='24604' data-end-time='35375'>The shoeshiners cleaned the footwear and added an oily substance to protect the shoes’ leather material. </span> <span data-start-time='35375' data-end-time='41417'>When finished, the customers paid eight dollars for the work.</span> <span data-start-time='41417' data-end-time='51313'>A sign hanging at the little business reads, “We’re not God, but we do save soles.”</span> <span data-start-time='51313' data-end-time='59271'>Shoeshining has a long history in the United States, dating back hundreds of years. </span> <span data-start-time='59271' data-end-time='66563'>But today, the tradition of getting a quick shine is weakening. </span> <span data-start-time='66563' data-end-time='74000'>Shoeshine stands are disappearing in cities and towns across the country.</span> <span data-start-time='74000' data-end-time='80042'>The COVID-19 pandemic intensified the business decline. </span> <span data-start-time='80042' data-end-time='84042'>More people work from home than in the past. </span> <span data-start-time='84042' data-end-time='90854'>And it has become popular to wear more casual work clothes. </span> <span data-start-time='90854' data-end-time='97563'>All this means fewer customers for shoeshining businesses.</span> <span data-start-time='97563' data-end-time='102354'>Nisan Khaimov owns the Penn Station stand. </span> <span data-start-time='102354' data-end-time='111458'>He said his stand would shine 80 to 100 shoes each workday before the pandemic. </span> <span data-start-time='111458' data-end-time='122396'>Now it is between 30 to 50 from Tuesday to Thursday and even fewer on Mondays and Fridays.</span> <span data-start-time='122396' data-end-time='130042'>The work-from-home model that is common across America is hurting his business.</span> <span data-start-time='130042' data-end-time='136771'>“Until people come back to work, the problems will not be solved,” said Khaimov.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/A8.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=19297 data-hint-location='102354' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/he_said_his_stand_would__blank__80_to_100_shoes_each_workday_before_the_pandemic_.wav'>He said his stand would <span class='blank'>shine</span> 80 to 100 shoes each workday before the pandemic. </div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='shine'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/shine.wav'><span>shine</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/swine.wav'><span>swine</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/spine.wav'><span>spine</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/sting.wav'><span>sting</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=19298 data-hint-location='35375' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/how_much_money_did_the_shoeshiner_charge_in_this_story.wav'>How much money did the shoeshiner charge in this story?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='$8'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/8.wav'><span>$8</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/5.wav'><span>$5</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/18.wav'><span>$18</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/11.wav'><span>$11</span></div></div></div><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=19299 data-hint-location='41417' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/which_of_the_following_is_a_definition_of_the_word_sole.wav'>Which of the following is a definition of the word sole?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='the underside of a shoe'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/the_spirit_of_a_being.wav'><span>the spirit of a being</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/the_underside_of_a_shoe.wav'><span>the underside of a shoe</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/the_path_a_planet_takes_around_the_sun.wav'><span>the path a planet takes around the sun</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5814/the_top_part_of_a_hat.wav'><span>the top part of a hat</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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