He is quick and honest and does good quality repair work for reasonable prices. Also I misplaced my pick up ticket and he could still find my shoes. read more

I 100% recommend he was so kind and so friendly and so helpful. He had my shoes fixed within the week. He was extremely affordable fantastic man if you need your shoes fixed, you have to go here. read more

Places like Al's Monroe Shoe Service are few and far between. As others have mentioned, the owner is a real throwback (in a good way) to times with a skilled master craftsman. He's been doing this since he was a young teenager and you can tell. Don't let the "messy" workshop fool you, I am sure the owner has a system going on. The costs are super reasonable and he won't oversell you on repairs or treatments. He charged $7 for a shoe shine and to apply dye to the heel and edges of shoes. He also charged about $60 to repair 2 pairs of dress shoes, including replacing the rubber heel covers for both shoes and also doing some repairs on the sole (without needing to re-sole). He seems like an honest and hardworking individual and I will be going back to him for any future shoe repair needs. read more

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Overall, a great experience with some caveats. The workmanship is good, but in my experience, the attention to detail is not quite as high as other cobblers I have worked with. Heel replacements and sole protectors tend to be a bit uneven in some parts, for example, and could be sanded a bit smoother. However, I am nitpicking, as these are things no one will notice unless they see the shoes up close. But if you want work done on a particularly nice pair of shoes, there are other cobblers that could be better suited. The big pros are speed and pricing. Pricing is very competitive and affordable. Turn around time is generally within a few business days for most smaller jobs like heels. read more

A great little local business that you might miss if you are driving down Monroe Ave. My husband had some leather loafers that had popped a seam, and Al repaired them for a very reasonable price in about a day or two. My one complaint is that the thread color didn't really match the original thread, but my husband couldn't care less! I also brought him two pairs of my well-loved shoes that really need help. He told me that he couldn't do much with them due to the synthetic material, so I appreciated the honesty rather than charging me to do a cruddy job. He was up front, friendly, and affordable. I will definitely use Al's again! read more

Wow! I wish I had taken a before picture. This pair had a hole at the corner of the sole. In a week I got what looks like a brand new pair of shoes. Great service, quick turnaround and a the craftsmanship is impeccable. A great way to repair what you have instead of buying new. read more

Al's Monroe Shoe Service - This pair had a hole in the corners of the heel. They were pretty worn down. I feel like they are a brand new pair of shoes. - Shoe Repair Near Me - Rochester, New York

I had some belts that needed to be shortened and have new wholes punched. Love this old-fashioned service and store front!

I loved speaking to the owner, such a nice man! My shoes were shined nicely with new heels when I received them back! I'll def return for more repairs when needed. read more

Al is awesome, he's a pretty down to earth guy and will be pretty honest with you. I was considering having a pair of boots cleaned and recolored which he could do but he pointed me to a spray product that would give me many more uses and would be much more economical. He could have easily taken the boots and just charged me but he didn't, he thoughtfully considered the shoes and the repair and made a good recommendation. Your shoes are in good hands with Al. read more

Best workmanship. Prompt. Inexpensive. Reminded me of the Italian shoe makers on the lower east side of Manhattan 50 years ago

Repaired a pair of Johnston and Murphys I had handily abused for the past 7 years and they look great. All for $30. Highly recommended.

I'm very happy with my experience here. This will now be my go-to spot for shoe repairs. I recently needed to have the lining replaced in a pair of leather heels. I had them for years and the lining ripped up. I wasn't sure if this was something that could be fixed, but the shoes were still in great shape so I wanted to check. I brought them to Al's and he was able to pull a couple leather options to replace the inside. Unfortunately, he didn't have a perfect match on hand, but he did have a grey that would work. It was the interior so it wouldn't be visible anyway. He offered to clean them up for an additional $2, which was great! FYI - it's cash only! He requested a deposit so I provided $10 and brought the remaining $9 when I picked up my shoes a week later since I was in no rush. I have more shoes that will need polishing and conditioning so those will be going to Al's soon. read more

Al's Monroe Shoe Service - New leather lining inside my heels - Shoe Repair Near Me - Rochester, New York

Great old style place. Owner was fantastic and took good care of the three shoes I needed to have cleaned. Look like new.. thanks read more

A real old fashion "Cobbler". Great work, fair prices. And he's a gentlemen! Just had my work boot heels repaired. read more

Al's Monroe Shoe Service - The master! - Shoe Repair Near Me - Rochester, New York

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This man is a Rembrandt with a needle! He resurrected my favorite 34 year old bison leather boat shoes that others had issued last rites to. The leather had rotted from the soles in 4 places from years of boating in fresh AND salt water, leaving openings in both shoes. They were faded, stiff, and weathered from neglect. The stitching was gone from the tops, and the rawhide laces were in bad shape. In less than 48 hours, he turned hardened gristle into filet mignon! And he did so for a measly $25. Because I was sure the materials alone cost that much, I overpaid him with pleasure. Mario is an old-school cobbler, whose pride in his work is surpassed only by that of his customers when they return to pickup their belongings. Reviews posted herewith are testament to his craftsmanship, honesty, and integrity. read more

Al's Monroe Shoe Service - 34 year old rebuilt bison leather boat shoes. Thank you, Mario! - Shoe Repair Near Me - Rochester, New York

The sole of one my Clarks was departing after 10 years. The craftsman made my boots look new, and he exudes kindness. He cared about about my boots like the beloved companions they are, keeping my feet dry for miles of memories. read more

Al's Monroe Shoe Service - 10-year-old Clarks ready for another 10 winters. Thank you, good sir! - Shoe Repair Near Me - Rochester, New York

This place is fantastic! Full of mostly large ancient looking machines, shoe parts and stray shoes, don't be fooled. This place is no gimmick. A real diamond in the rough. Mario is man. He was very sweet and helpful. I brought him 3 pairs of shoes, two boots and leather sandals. We looked at each pair and he helped appraise exactly what they needed. Next he showed me the materials he had in mind to replace the heals and the loop for my boot that got chewed on by a puppy. When I picked them up three days later they were spotless. Clean, shiny and rejuvenated. Mario is a perfectionist and his work is magnificent. So happy to have spent the money for the repair instead of buying new shoes. Have another pair to bring him I almost threw out read more

Al's Monroe Shoe Service - These shoes were filthy and now they are beautiful - Shoe Repair Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Mario is the last of a dying breed. Quick turnaround, expert quality workmanship and an old world price. He repaired a loose sole on a shoe and polished the pair for a mere$15! Overnight. They looked like brand new. The price for a shoeshine alone: $6! I plan on employing his services regularly just to keep him going. When him and the few other remaining cobblers in this region retire there will be no more services of this type. Call me old-school, but I still feel that a well groomed look has a positive impact. read more

The best service at Al's! I've always taken my designer shoes here without hesitation. Apart from excellent basic shoe maintenance, he gave second life to some of my Giuseppe Zanotti flats that required a real craftsmanship, and the result was outstanding! I definitely recommend! read more

I called Mario about a western belt to get shortened. He readily agreed to do it and invited me to his shop. The next day I came in about 30 minutes before closing but he insisted to get the fit right, measured and started the job right away! The next morning by 11AM, it was ready and perfect. This was not an easy job as it required stitching through heavy leather by hand to match the previous stitch placement precisely. Mario used very strong thread which proved better than the original already in this handmade belt. He also had to replace a rivet but at the time we spoke over the phone, his quote did not include this. He did not insist on raising his original quote asking only a few more dollars for all his extra work! His old world integrity and dignity prompted me to offer a little more than he requested. I really appreciated Mario's ethic and wish more people still conducted themselves with such honor and dignity. His pride in his work is inspiring. Highly recommended! PS. To save you time - its cash only. read more

Great service, fair price, and excellent craftsmanship. Replaced heels on my shoes, and are just as good if not better than the originals. FYI--cash only read more

Guys the best in the business, not just in Rochester, in the world!! Ok, I got a little carried away there but Al knows his way around a pair of shoes. From the moment you meet him you know your shoes are in good hands. He is fair, honest, and does an excellent job repairing shoes. He repaired a pair of my wives shoes and a pair of my Chelsea boots. They both came out excellent and the price, CASH ONLY , was more than fair. Everyone should go see Al for their shoe repair needs! read more

Great spot for quick and reasonably priced shoe shine. He made my sons shoes look brand new. I wish I look before and after pictures. Well worth it. Would highly recommend. $5 shoe shine in 5 mins read more

Absolute best in Rochester. He's saved shoes of mine that I had given up on. Resoling, renewing the leather, fixing broken heels - he's an artist! I send my family and friends there because no one comes close to his work or his pricing. read more

So happy I found Al's!! I went to have my leather Boots taken in. I can never find riding boots that fit my small/short legs. He fixed them within 4 days. His prices are very reasonable for the quality and fast work he does, so I ended up giving him more money. Very impressed, I'll go back for sure! Terri T. read more

Phenomenal job. Both pairs of shoes I brought look almost brand new. Fair price and he was able to get them done quick. Highly recommend.

Thank you, Yelp, for steering me away from one shoe repair place on Monroe that is convenient to my house with your honest, constructively critical reviews ... AND for steering me toward Al's on Monroe. It was a great experience, and equally as convenient to my house and also on Monroe! The owner is kind and caring and willing to go the extra mile for superior service & quality-repair. His price was fair and up-front. No surprises. The shoes were ready when he quoted, at the price estimated. I'll be back and suggest you go, too! read more

WOW! I'm soooo happy to find Al's on Monroe. I, too, was a customer of the other business on Monroe, but when they told me it was absolutely impossible to repair my shoes, I was heartbroken but determined to find a solution. And I found THE BEST place ever!!! Not only did Mario fix my shoes to look brand new again, he also completed the work in just one day!!! I can't say enough good things about this place. And I keep laughing to myself that the other business said the shoes weren't repairable. I am a customer for life and will tell everyone I know that Al's Monroe Shoe Services is THE place to go. Just remember it's cash only. :-) read more

I was looking for a new/closer shoe repair and after reading glowing reviews for this place I had to try it out. I brought in a pair of high heels to be retipped versus trying to buy the correct size of tips off Amazon. He charged me $12 which was on par if not cheaper than buying tips myself and attempting to replace them. He also cleaned up my scuffed heel by applying a clear glue. They look great and I've already dropped off a few other pairs! read more

Mario provides great service, is meticulous in his work, and isn't happy until the customer is happy. Prices are beyond reasonable and his turnaround is extremely fast. I asked him to stitch a heel backing into my new Allen Edmonds recently. He carefully considered the work to be done, explained what he was going to do, and made sure I was satisfied with his plan. When it came time to discuss a price, he hesitated and said it was going to be a lot of work for him. The price? $20. He seemed to feel bad asking for it. He was finished with them the next day. The work was excellent and I couldn't be happier. I brought him a belt yesterday to be shortened, stitched, and have new holes punched in it. He asked when I needed it finished, and I told him not to make it a priority whatsoever. He said to come back any time the next day (today) to pick it up. It was finished by the time I stopped in on my way to work this morning. He did a fantastic job. The price? $5. I can't recommend this place enough. He's open Saturdays, too. read more

Such a sweet man who is HONEST!! Fixed my shoes after my dog chewed them up and did an amazing job!! Made them look like new!! Very reasonable and quick!! Plus he is SUPER nice!! Great shop!! read more

I've had 2 pairs of heals repaired. The prices are fair and the service is quick and quality!

Al is amazing! Older Italian man, super nice. He replaced the inner sole of my danskos, which had basically disintegrated, for $18 with real leather in the same day!!! Wow!!! Highly recommend, I'll definitely be coming back read more

Al is so nice and caring. I brought in my very expensive tall riding boots in and he replaced the heel, custom fitted the boot to me neatly, and polished them all up. He is extremely affordable and timely. Would definitely use him again. read more

Wonderfully sweet man, helpful, affordable, and fast!!! Only guy I have & will ever go to in town.