Cobbler's Bench Foot Health Center

After working seven years for Rohde's Leather Shop and learning all about shoe and leather construction from two master craftsmen, John Ostermiller opened The Cobbler's Bench Shoe and Leather Repair in 1987 in Frankenmuth, MI. In 1989, John went to Ball State to get his certification as an Orthopedic Shoe Technician. He learned about different modifications that could be done to a shoe. These include short limb buildup, rocker soles to help with ambulation, different wedging techniques to help with balance, and orthopedic construction to help with foot structure. In 1999, John became a Board Certified Pedorthist where he learned bio-mechanics, gait analysis, foot assessment, foot anatomy and patient care. The following year, in 2000, The Cobbler's Bench Shoe and Leather Repair became The Cobbler's Bench Foot Health Center. Footwear was added, staff was increased from three to eight employeesmany being family members and friends who share the same mission to help people. With continuing growth, John asked his wife Patti, then a local retail manager, to come on board to manage the new facility. At that time the store became qualified as a DMERC supplier of medical goods which allowed the facility to dispense footwear to diabetics under the Medicare program. In 2004, The Cobbler's Bench was fortunate enough to have DeAnn McCulloch, who had been apprenticing under John for three years, become the facility's second Board Certified Pedorthist. Our mission statement: Together as a team, our goal is to improve the quality of life of an individual by improving their foot health.