How to Find the Best Shoe Repair Shop
Finding a great shoe repair shop with talented cobblers is no easy feat. Especially these days, as the once flourishing business of shoe repair is slowly, and sadly, being lost – one shop at a time.
Cobbling is a trade as old as shoes themselves, and it takes years of mastery and a commitment to craftsmanship to be a great cobbler. Unfortunately, many of our expert shoe repair craftsman have been lost or retired, with very few hopeful, young cobblers to pick up and carry the torch for them.
Many cities have ne’er a cobbler to be found. 25 years ago there were over 60,000 shoe repair shops in business. Today, there are less than 3,500 spread thinly throughout the United States.
So, how do you find a great shoe repair shop?
Ask Your Parents
We’re not laughing, you’re laughing. We mean it! Ask those around you who use shoe repair. A direct referral is always the best one.
Take to the Interweb
Trusting someone with your favorite things is a big decision and making sure you consider all your options is just the smart thing to do. To make your short list of great shoe repair shops, the internet is your best friend.
Search on Google to find a great local – or online shoe repair service – depending on your wants and needs. Once you identify several options, take a look at their websites, especially noting any galleries of before and after images and repair videos. This will give you a good idea of the breadth and quality of their work.
Read Reviews
Next, jump on a reputable review site. Google Reviews is probably the most trusted, but there are several others to consider. One thing to note is that, as with any service-type job, you’re going to find some bad reviews for shoe repair shops. Its simple really. People love their things. They have high expectations. But just as promises of plastic surgery removing decades from your face, sometimes certain repairs just aren’t possible to make absolutely perfect.
A cobbler will always do their best to manage expectations, especially if they aren’t 100% confident that the job they are undertaking will result in something impeccable. Be sure to select a cobbler who is honest with you before you get started on a repair project, and one who can give you an accurate cost estimate before they begin work so there aren’t any surprises later on.
We recommend you read several good reviews and several bad reviews – all relatively recent – to see how they were handled by both the customer and the shoe repair shop. Did the cobbler make things right with an angry customer? Did the customer gush about their excellent customer service?
Balancing the good with the bad will give you the confidence you need to make an informed decision.
What if There Isn’t a Local Shoe Repair Shop in My Area?
This fact may make your search that much easier, as your only option is to choose an online shoe repair by mail provider. The great news? The beauty of online shoe repair is that it gives you access to world-class cobblers from anywhere you may be. Just ship your shoes and they come back to you in like-new condition.
When choosing an online shoe repair shop, be sure to consider everything mentioned above before you make your decision. Going with a reputable company who has longevity and expert craftsmen is always your best bet.
Now that you’ve made your choice, we’ve got 2 pieces of advice.
Take a “Before” Picture of Your Things
Be sure to snap a “before” picture so that you have something to compare your repaired items to! It will make the reveal of your like-new item even more special if you can remember what it looked like when you dropped it off.
Take an “After” Picture and Leave a Review
If you’re pleased with your cobbler’s work, be sure to let them know! Leaving a review with images of your repaired items will not only encourage others to use the services but will surely give them a much-needed boost to get them thru all those shoes, boots, and bags they still need to fix!
Now that you’ve made your decision, get those favorite shoes, boots, bags, and belts of yours off to the cobbler pronto so you can enjoy them!
Questions about our online shoe repair services? Live chat or email us at [email protected]