Jonathan Gil: 10 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2024

Jonathan Gil: 10 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2024

One of the great inspirations of 2024 was the entrepreneur who traveled a most unusual road, and GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle was first with the story. 

Jonathan Gil is quickly building a shoe empire in Rhode Island — one with a mission.

Gil, who grew up in Providence, moved his repair shop, “The Sneaker Sink,” to Weybosset Street downtown earlier this year from Charles Street and says business is booming. 

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What started with buying used shoes online and cleaning up and reselling them has turned into rehabbing customers’ old shoes (and hats) — and a growing Instagram account with over 10,000 followers. 

Instead of just throwing away sneakers that can cost hundreds of dollars, people can bring their well-worn shoes to Gil, who, for a fraction of their original price, can work his magic and extend their life, saving both money and the environment.

And for the Providence schools grad who has always been interested in fashion, Gil is just as committed to giving back as he is to his growing "footprint."

“Anything’s possible if you put your mind to it. I experienced it. I didn’t graduate from college,” said Gil, who turned 33 earlier this year. “Anyone can start a business, as long as they’re driven and committed to consistency.”

Gil, who grew up in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood of Providence, pursued a number of educational and employment avenues before launching his first business. 

“I went to like three different high schools. My main high school was The Met, where I graduated from. It was a really good experience. They taught me a lot, as far as internships,” said Gil.

“I’ve always been into fashion. What I tried to study was interior design but I figured it wasn’t really me. I went to college for a year, but I didn’t like it,” said Gil. “So I started working at Saks Fifth [Avenue]. I loved it, just being around clothing and brands. I wanted to see the different things they came up with because I didn’t go to school for fashion. That was really the only way I could ’see’ it.”

And soon after turning 25, Gil said he had a bit of a “quarter-life crisis.” 

“At around 26, I hit a point where I thought, 'What am I going to do for the rest of my life?' I’m getting older, so then I thought, let me become an electrician, I hear that’s pretty good,” said Gil.