'If These Shoes Could Talk, They'd Say Thank You' | The Half-Century Legacy Of Shoe-Shining at a Triad Airport

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The airport is a busy place, filled with people on the go with unique stories to tell.

At Piedmont Triad International Airport, one man hears those stories all the time, but rarely does he get the chance to tell his own.

Once a fixture in airports all across the U.S., shoe shine booths still prevail at PTI.

Here, it all starts with a smile as 54-year-old Horace McLean welcomes you to his chair for more than your average shoe shine experience, just five bucks a pair.

“It goes deeper than just money for me,” Horace said. “It’s just I treasure the relationship I've made.”

He's been PTI's only shoe-shiner for over 30 years, serving "Horace's Shoe Shine" on both of the airport’s concourses.

Horace takes after his father, James McClean, who started the business at a turbulent time for African Americans: The 1960s.

“In spite of all that was going on with his race being an issue, he still was determined to start a business, he said, in spite of that time,” Horace said.

His father’s shoe shine booth was first located at the old terminal building, a spot he got thanks to a connection with an airport employee.

“He proved in the tested times with all that hard mess he had to deal with, that he still successfully kept the business,” Horace said, remembering his father many international regular customers and the lines that formed waiting for his services.

Horace started going to work with his father when he was 8 years old on weekends and during the summer because his father wanted him to finish school.

When he turned 20, he started working the shoe shine booth full-time.

Continuing that legacy, Horace takes pride in the work he does even as leisurely attire becomes the norm at airports everywhere.

And his customers notice.

Those who were served by his father come to Horace for “that classic shoe shine,” knowing his father had taught him his ways.

But that’s not the only reason he comes back to work every day.

James McClean passed shortly after his retirement in 1993.

On his deathbed, his father’s final wish was for Horace to never give up on the business or himself.

“He said Horace you’ve got to promise me no matter what you're going to keep this legacy going and I am,

“His determination and that special moment we had by his deathbed keeps me motivated every day to do this,” Horace shared emotionally.

If you know, you know, there's nothing quite like a good ole airport shoe shine… Much less, one from good ole Horace McLean.