Shoeshine man with bounce in his step gains a foothold at Union Station

Marco Ramirez could not be more proud of his new shoeshine stand at Union Station.

It was specially built out of wood to echo the waiting room's Art Deco armchairs.

The brass footrests gleam. Ramirez beams. He stretches his arms wide.

With these four high-perched seats, he brings the art of the shoeshine back to the historic station for the first time in decades and expands his empire across the heart of downtown.

Thwap, thwap, thwap. He snaps his cloth across a businessman's black brogues as his own Salvatore Ferragamo loafers, bought used at a swap meet, glide and tap out a rhythm on the vintage tile.

He sees his work as performance art, as craft, even as a form of therapy. Sit for a while, rest, be pampered, leave with a bounce in your step.

His stand is at the west end of the long passageway through which more than 60,000 people travel daily to and from trains and buses.

As he tends to a steady stream of shoes and boots, he thanks those he credits with putting him in "the hub of Los Angeles."

"I'm really blessed that they chose me to run this operation," he says.

He thanks God. He thanks the leaders of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He thanks the people who manage the station.

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Shoeshine man with bounce in his step gains a foothold at Union Station