Family firm crafts shoes for patients in Austria
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In Eberndorf, Austria, Johannes and Elias Hribernik continue a family tradition of making custom orthopedic shoes, a craft their business has practiced for over 70 years.
The Hribernik family business now has five locations across Carinthia. Johannes Hribernik began working in the shop at age 15 and earned both a master craftsman certificate and a business degree. He notes that modern orthopedic shoes focus more on appearance than shoes of decades past.
Creating a pair of orthopedic shoes takes approximately 36 hours, starting with a doctor's prescription and ending with the finished product. The Hriberniks offer services including orthopedic care, insoles, leg-length equalization, and shoe modifications. Elias Hribernik initially studied business administration before completing his training as a shoemaker, and he recently became master craftsman for both shoe making and orthopedic shoe making.
Beyond creating custom shoes, the Hriberniks also repair footwear at their shops in Griffen, Eberndorf, Völkermarkt, Bad Eisenkappel, and Klagenfurt, though they say earning a living solely from repairs is nearly impossible today. Both father and son share a passion for drumming as a hobby, providing balance to their work.
