Jerry George is shown here on set with Emilio Estivez for the film Mighty Ducks II. Jerry advised the actors on running the hockey equipment and sharpening skates.

The history of George’s Shoes began in Lebanon in 1905. At age seventeen, Joseph, son of Tanous and Fatina George, opened a custom boot making shop in Toula, the mountain village where he was born. The George family resided in a primitive stone house (seen here) that Tanous built with his brother George, consisting of one large room lit by an olive oil lamp and a fireplace for heat and cooking. Water came from the village well.

The well-liked Joseph earned a reputation as a gifted boot maker, and he was rewarded with a steady flow of customers. Unfortunately, the poor villagers couldn’t pay, and the Turkish merchants would refuse to pay. Discouraged by this arrangement, Joseph could see no future for his family. His brother Moses George lived in America where he owned a quarter section of farmland, a pool hall, and a restaurant in McIntosh, South Dakota. In hopes of joining him, Joseph stockpiled money for a passport and ship fare. In 1913, 26-year-old Joseph George and his 25-year-old wife Mary boarded a ship bound for America.

Joseph, with sons Pete & Bill George in their McIntosh, South Dakota Boot & Repair Shop.

Shortly after he arrived in town, Moses introduced Joseph to the local shoemaker who led him to "a big pile of boots" in need of fixing. In less than a week, Joseph finished all the repairs. Around 1916, when the old cobbler retired, Joseph purchased the boot and repair shop on Main Street and stocked the store with more than "2800 pairs of new shoes."

Said and Sadie (children of Joseph and Mary George) immigrated on this oceanliner in 1928. This concluded a 16-year separation (spanning World War I and beyond).

In 1963, news circulated that Marie Slawik, founder of Midway Ford, was building the "biggest enclosed mall in St. Paul." After twenty years of doing business on the West Side, Said signed a lease and moved the shop to Har Mar Mall where George’s Shoes became a repair-only business.

In 1977, the next generation of Georges (Jerry & Ron) bought a St. Paul shoe repair shop on Grand Avenue from Henry Michalsky and his wife. Henry built a small but loyal clientele for sports equipment repairs, and after the purchase, Jerry George "picked up the ball and ran with it."

This 100-Year-Old Sewing Machine was a gift to Joseph George from his time in McIntosh, South Dakota—and is now a cherished family heirloom, much like the business.