Richard Purpora Was 14 When He Started Working [Derived Headline]

Summary

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Richard Purpora was 14 when he started working alongside his uncle, Frank M. Purpora, at Star Shoe Repair Co., across from the Shubert Theater on College Street. Thirty-three years later, "Rick" is carrying on the family business alone, sometimes working late into the night repairing shoes and handbags.

He proudly notes that the small, cluttered shop looks almost exactly the same as it did when he worked there as a teenager. He says that's the way his uncle would want it to be.

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Richard Purpora Was 14 When He Started Working [Derived Headline]

Purpora took a break from his tasks one recent morning to tell me about continuing the legacy and his uncle's final days.

"I knew something was wrong because he'd call and say, 'Rick, I'm so tired.' My ...

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