I have been going to Fortuna's for over 20 years, and it's so much more than just a cobbler shop. Over the years, I've trusted them with everything from shoes and belts to leather coats and vintage leather bags--and every time, the results have been incredible. If you have high-end purses that need some TLC, this is absolutely the place to go. The owner has an amazing eye for detail and a true gift for restoration. He doesn't just repair items--he brings them back to life, making them look beautiful and new again. Their cobbler, Greg, is amazingly talented! In a world that changes so quickly, I am truly grateful for the consistency, craftsmanship, and integrity I've always found here. That kind of reliability is rare, and it's why I keep coming back year after year. read more

i worked at the white flint mall years ago where they had a shop- awesome people and excellent work- the took care of my shoes including my belts- read more

Incredible workmanship and attention to detail. I bought a much loved vintage Gucci bag from Poshmark with a broken handle. Brought it to Fortuna's (after getting run around for weeks by another shop). They promised they'd take care of me and they'd have the bag ready when they said and they did. I had a piece of luggage repaired by them years ago. Excellent service. I won't use any other repair shop ever again. read more

Fortuna's - Bag with the new handle - Shoe Repair Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Great experience! They stretched my brand new, out the box, too narrow boots to near perfection! They educated me on the process and answered my questions before I paid for the service. That was the first time I professionally stretched any shoe and it won't be the last! I only wish they would've called when the shoes were ready. I later found out that it's not part of their policy. I say that to say, "don't forget about your shoes!" I almost did and I couldn't remember what shop I took them to because I called a handful before deciding on this one and of course I accidentally tossed my ticket when I cleaned out my car ‍. read more

Fortuna's - Leather booties - Shoe Repair Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I handed over a pair of pristine, never-worn boots and watched in shock as the man at Fortuna's bent the beautiful un-creased shoe in half repeatedly at the toe to show something about the sole. I told him to stop, but I guess he couldn't hear me over the noise of the store and the mask, but regardless it shows terrible judgement to do something that everyone knows will mark and damage the leather. Someone who's whole job is caring for shoes would certainly know that. So now I have one lovely sleek boot and one lined in creases, including a line across the toe that makes it look bulbous. Yes, in time the shoe would have gotten creased (although not that creased), but that is for me, the owner, to do with wear over time. There's also some shmutz on the tongue that won't brush off. As I said, brand new, unworn shoes that I removed from the box in the store, removed the cardboard form that comes inside new shoes in front of the man and told the man that I'd like my brand new shoes stretched. I schlepped all the way out to Bethesda to get my new shoes stretched because the cobbler in my neighborhood said he'd have to apply some kind of solution to the shoes when he stretched them and I didn't want anything changing the appearance of my shoes. Fortuna's said they would do the stretch without putting anything on the leather, which they indeed didn't. And the shoes do fit better now, despite the limitation of being lined in fabric rather than leather. But the whole point was to preserve the appearance of my new shoes and instead Fortuna's took them and immediately damaged one. Photos of the shoes in different light attached. read more

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Woah ...guys come on! I've been using you for years making the trek up from Georgetown to Bethesda to have my belts resized and your work is amazing so I have stayed loyal. So, the time has come to have some shoes, of sentimental value resoled and polished and whatever else you said the shoes needed and upon closer inspection I was so disappointed to see you leave out the "finishing touches" the "details" see for yourself! Dye(?) left on the buckles. I mean it took me about 15 minutes and an Amor All brand all-purpose-cleaner to get it off so it's not that hard but a Client should not have to do that. Glue residue left on the heel! See for yourself! I mean, using the same cleaning cloth and the tip of a knife to get into the grooves I was able to make them spotless. This didn't take me a long time but again the Client should not have to deal with that issue. I want to continue using your services and I hope this review will serve to improve the final product and therefore lead to a Client that will not only be satisfied but thrilled with the outcome which will lead to "word of mouth" referrals that is how I heard of you so many years ago. See photos read more

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I stopped in with a bag that needed a zipper repair. The overnight bag isn't expensive, I probably should have gotten rid of it a long time ago, but it's a lovely crocodile embossed purple bag and I just love it. Everyone else told me $45 and up to repair, so it just sat in the closet unused. I just happened to be walking by and had the bag in my trunk, so I stopped in to see about having the zipper repaired. The gentleman behind the counter was really nice, explained what the problem was with my zipper and then told me to hold on. He grabbed a tool and in 5 minutes flat my zipper was operational. He warned me that the zipper was not a very good one and would likely need to be replaced in the future but didn't charge me for the repair. I was truly impressed with his great customer service and would definitely use them in the future should I need shoes or bags repaired. read more

Fortuna's - Shoe Repair Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I have been going here since I needed my first pair of loubis re-soled and haven't regretted it since! I take my brand new loubis in now to get soled before scuffing them up on the streets. I don't use the vibram soles but these other brighter red soles they have at the store that offer traction, protection, and look really nice! It costs $40 and takes a week, but is worth the wait! I will continue going to them to protect my favorite pairs of Christian louboutins :). Thank you! read more

Fortuna's - Nobody will ever really see the bottoms when you're walking but this is what they look like - Shoe Repair Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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We have used Fortuna's for 28 years and have never once been disappointed. They are the Gold Standard of shoe service in this area. In the rare circumstance where something they work on needs additional attention they give it. Plus the present Woodmont Avenue location and the former one remind me of a place I might have entered in Boston or Providence back in the earlier 70s or in old downtown San Jose before the internet and tech with a lot of historical color and charm from the earlier Nineteenth Century. It has always been a pleasure to do business with Fortunas. read more

Based on a 10 year old recommendation a men's style forum, I had a pair of Alden cap-toes recently resoled at Fortuna's in Bethesda. The person taking in the shoes was very impressed with my shine and maintenance regimen which indicated that they do know quality (and that he knows how to stroke my ego!). He went over the options (cant remember if they offered Dainite, though), and I went with straightforward half sole and heel. Picked it up a week later, am very impressed with the work. $90, which is more than I paid last time in Central New Jersey but certainly less than Alden. I will be back for future work when needed. Bonus: located in downtown Bethesda, they are across the street from Dog Haus Biergarten (best burgers in the region) and a block or so away from Moby Dick's (Afghanistan cuisine)! read more

I had a pair of Christian Louboutins re-soled with the red vibram rubber soles. From their website and pictures posted, they had me sold. I was excited to get my shoes back. I paid $35 when I dropped them off and I picked them up a week later. When I picked them up, I was in a hurry so I just opened the box to make sure my shoes were in there and quickly left. When I got home I inspected my shoes. The "red" rubber sole was more of an orange color. It did not match the original red sole at all. They cut too much of the original sole off and they even messed up the Christian Louboutin logo by cutting into it. There was dried up glue still on my shoe. I was so disappointed. I contacted Fortunas and explained to them why I was unhappy and they told me to bring them back. This would be my third time going back to that place for these shoes. A week later, and my fourth visit to Fortunas... the rubber sole was darker however nothing could be done with the messed up logo engraving... and there was still dried up glue everywhere on my shoe. I am completely unhappy with the end product and service of Fortunas. Do not go here if you're thinking of adding rubber soles to your designer shoes!!! They will mess them up! If I could I would have out ZERO stars for this review but that wasn't an option. read more

Snappy, rude, annoying gay man at the front counter. Couldn't tell if he gives a shit what you're talking about, or if you're talking at all. Very poor customer service and would not recommend this to anyone who I care about. read more

I had a badly broken strap on my shoulder bag and a Georgetown store employee recommended Fortunas for their leather repair. They did an excellent job repairing my bag, as well as a large leather couch cushion with a long tear. Their pricing is reasonable, repairs are completed on time, and they clearly take great pride in their work. I was very happy to find this outstanding small business in Bethesda; thank you, Fortunas ! read more

I'll preface this review by saying that I'm EXTREMELY PICKY about my shoes. So when the manager at Nordstrom in Bethesda sent me to Fortuna after I asked for a shoe repair referral, I was expecting perfection. Eh. I've had better. They're extremely expensive. And when I asked them to do things that I'd had done at my previous cobbler (back in Santa Barbara), they charged me twice as much and did half as nice a job. My favorite pair of suede heels has never been quite the same since I brought them to Fortuna - the velvet was a bit water stained, and when they "repaired" the water damage, the suede got a bit "crunchy", if that makes sense. It doesn't have the same soft feel it used to have. I've had shoes re-heeled (that little tip on the bottom of a high heel, that little nub, I've had those replaced), Cat's Paw rubber soles put on my shoes, and shoes cleaned and polished here. I've never been overly impressed by the results. I've even had a leather bag cleaned/repaired, and while the job was good, it was so expensive I feel like it was a draw at that point. I'm going to be shopping around for a new cobbler. For this picky shoe girl, Fortuna's just doesn't make the cut. read more

I was very happy with 3 jobs that they did for me! Great place, knowledgeable staff, fair pricing.

This is the best shoe and leather repair store. Me and my girlfriends drop off our Manolo's, Christian Louboutin, etc to be resoled or repaired. For the last 8 plus years. I recently had the handles of a YSL bag repaired. After Nieman Marcus failed twice to get it right. This is the store you drop off your items without questions asked, with complete faith you won't be disappointed. This store has been around for a long time and it's through word of mouth that they keep and grow their clientele. read more

Fortuna's - Shoe Repair Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

My favorite work shoes are these mary jane heels that have a button that's attached with elastic on the strap. I wore out the elastic on one side, and it broke, so I took the shoes here for repair. First, they charged me for replacing one elastic, but replaced both (which was cool). The part that was not cool was that they made one elastic much shorter than the other, so I had to haul the shoes around until I could get around to having them fix it. When I finally came in (almost 4 months later), I had lost the repair tag -- but I guess they recognize their work, so they fixed the shorter elastic for free. So as a repair experience, I give them 2 stars. Why the extra star? Well, they actually carry a great selection of things that will keep your leather products looking new. They carry Apple Care Lotion (which is the BOMB on handbags) and won't clog the "pores" on the leather the way silocone products will. They also have some good suede renew sprays. read more

Great first experience, $10 and 5 minutes is all it took to repair the zipper on my carry on bag.

I have to have my shoes modified for bone spurs. They are simply artists with leather. Shoes belts, straps , luggage whatever. They modified binocular cases for me. Could not be more impressed read more

This is the place to go for efficient and HONEST luggage repair. I originally went to Bethesda Shoe & Luggage Repair because the zipper on my luggage had only 1 link off track. I was told it would take 5 days to repair, and would cost me $20. I did not leave my bag, thinking that the wait was too long and the price was too high. Instead, I took my bag less than half a mile to FORTUNA'S and I am not exaggerating when I say that the man FIXED my zipper completely in less than 2 minutes and didn't charge me a dime. He said it was a simple fix and he was obviously more honest than the first spot. All of my repairs will be at FORTUNA'S!!!! read more

I have brought countless number of shoes and handbags here and have always left a very satisfied customer. They do a great job with sole and heel replacements. I've also had a pair of Sergio Rossi suede shoes that I thought were ruined - not so! They were cleaned up and looked brand new! They also do a great job with Christian Louboutin sole replacements and do a wonderful job with repairing purses. I brought in a large Chanel bag that had one of its chain handles detach from the bag - the repair job was flawless, the seems were matched up to the original Chanel seems and I've never had a problem since. Definitely recommend! Great place with a great reputation. I'm a customer for life! read more

I absolutely love this place and after seeing the mixed reviews I had to write about my experience. First, I took a $700 leather purse to get cleaned there - it is a light brown color and had stains on the bottom/back of it from wearing it w/ dark blue jeans. When I dropped it off they told me that they would not be able to remove the stains, but that they would clean the bag and seal it for me. I paid $70 for the job. I was SO HAPPY when I picked up my bag and I found that the stains were barely visible! He said they had to clean it 3 times to lighten it as much as possible. It looked so amazing and was a lot better than I expected. Plus, he gave me great advice on caring for my bag moving forward. Additionally, I took in a pair of nice brown leather boots to be cleaned and treated. They did a great job for about $40. I know that this place is not super cheap but I have never been unhappy w/ the work they have provided. And everything has always been completed in the time they guarantee up front. read more

This place is exorbitantly expensive for the quality of the materials they use to replace heels. I have had several pairs of heels replaced by Fortuna's. After a week, my heels needed new ones. If you're not in a rush to get your shoes fixed, I would recommend finding a different shoe repair vendor. read more

DO NOT GO THERE!!!! I had to to go back three times! they never got it right. I finally gave up and had my shoes done by Silva in Silver Spring. I went to Fortuna because of an article about the business featured in Bethesda Magazine. My experience with them was awful. I would never go back. I brought a simple pair of Banana Republic loafers in to be resoled. I asked that they match the original. When I got them back, they were messy with glue. And after less than a week the soles were falling off. This happened twice. Then one of the heels came off. The topper is when I came back the third time and the guy told me the sole I had chosen was wrong for the shoe. Are you kidding me? It's the customer's fault? Really? Never did I get an apology for the incredible inconvenience and I did not get my money back either. DO NOT GO THERE EVER!! EVER!! EVER!!!!!! read more

I wish Yelp would let me review this place more than once. A good cobbler is an absolute must for an irish dancer as we can be very hard on the shoes. Every time I've managed to damage my shoes, Fortuna's comes through with a strong and quick repair- and I have yet to need to miss a class or performance because they've been able to fix things fast and well done every time. Top notch customer service! read more

They have been here for years, the guy with the piercings is so awesome. i trust him with my Manolos and my Louis Vuitton handbags. He repaired a bag and did a great job and he was the only one that could fix my dr scholls! read more

Took two belts in for altering the length, end up way too short. Supposed to take 2 inches off, feel like it took 4 inches off, not happy at all !! read more

I had new heels put on my shoes and they looked great! The price was reasonable and they were ready when promised. Found the staff very nice and helpful. I'll be going back. read more

Fortuna's employees are very nice, you walk in and they take care of you immediately. Their prices are very fair and affordable. I needed my taps fixed in an emergency and they did it in less than 10 minutes for around $10! Great place to check out if you have shoes you need to have fixed or even purses! read more

Fortuna did a great job replacing the worn heel on my boots! I had them re-heeled once, managed to walk around enough to wear them down again, and went back a second time for another great job. The price was also reasonable. If I still lived there, I'd definitely go back! read more

Excellent cobblers! Three years of shoe and bag repairs, never disappointed! Complete, thorough and with passion. Worth the trip and every dime. Just wish they were open on Sundays. read more

Great repair work as well as very good products for shoe maintenance. I have had shoes repaired here (really worn out clogs that were re-soled) and my husband buys polish (a pretty good selection of colors and the staff is happy to assist with questions.) A great local shop with personal expert help and very good handiwork at a reasonable price. read more

Had a great experience with luggage zipper repairs. They're professional, and polite. I recommend this place over other shoe and luggage repair shops in Bethesda. read more

EDIT: I later realized when they replaced the half sole and that it was actually thicker than the heel. This is really bad for your posture/feet/legs/stride etc and can cause stress injuries. Don't waste you time and money. Terrible! The people at the counter are rude, they do sloppy work and are unapologetic about it. I recently went in to have new heels put on a pair of wing tips. Within a few days the heels fell off! I was out of town so I managed to fix them myself. When I returned I went to them and showed them photos. I then said I would like to get half soles put on as well. When they were ringing me up I stopped them and said, "So are you gonna give me a discount or something because of the heels?" at which the man at the counter sort of scoffed and said he would subtract the price of the heels from the total. Very rude not to mention I had to ASK for the discount after their screw up! I came back a week later to pick up my shoes everything looked in order. They were messy when I brought them in and since they don't clean or polish shoes when you have work done (I understand it is policy but it seems like a cheap, lazy policy) I began to clean them. There was also some kind of residue on them from the resoling process. After I had wiped them off I noticed small raised globs of something on the on the uppers. I scratched at it only to realize it was GLUE! In the process of resoling my shoes THEY GOT GLUE ON MY UPPERS! There is ABSOLUTELY no excuse for getting glue on the shoe. I called to complain and they the man on the phone gave me a completely disingenuous apology and said I could bring them back. I said sure I *could* but I have to drive all the way back there (a 30 minute drive with no traffic. It's rush hour.) I began to get a little irritated and the man was very snippy with me. I finally said forget it I'm not bringing them back and before I could finish my sentence he blurted "have a nice day" and hung up on me! Fortuna's used to be great. I had polite service, and excellent leather and shoe repair done there including some very unusual repairs to the uppers of some vintage shoes and boots back in 2007-2010. Now they can't even do a half sole without getting glue on my shoes. Never again. read more

I have been going to Fortuna's since childhood, having grown up in the area. I recently brought in a pair of tan patent leather shoes for a redo of a mess they made the first attempt to repair the toe area. When I picked up the shoes there was a huge stain brown stain on one of the shoes. When I inquired, the cobbler was quick ti say that I brought the shoes in this way. The owner went on to say, well you can see that we wear gloves. When I spoke with the manager/owner further, she arrogantly brushed me off as if my business didn't matter and the problem was mine. Furthermore, the repair they did was less than sub par, with gaps in the leather and glue that had leaked on the sides. When I mentioned that I would never be visiting again, the owner arrogantly said, I'm sorry. Oh well, I guess they don't realize the power of, word of mouth, SORRY!" read more

Highly unprofessional! I brought in a suitcase for an estimate, they said they'd have to call me Monday. Oh and they needed a deposit. They didn't call. When I called they said it was fixed, and I owed another $20. Then they lied and said they told me the cost. I don't even know how good their work is, but their attitude is so shoddy I won't be back. read more

WORST WORST WORST...Do not go! I don't even want to give them one star. I took my Louboutin's here and they did a horrible job repairing them. They were damaged and scuffed far worse when I picked them up than when I dropped them off. They did such a poor job repairing the heel I had to take them to another cobbler the same day to fix their mistake. Please don't use them or at least take pictures of your shoes before you drop them off. They are extremely careless and do poor quality work. read more

you know when you really want to like a place...well don't bother with Fortuna Shoe Repair, it really doesn't deliver. the people are friendly enough, but the job they did on my boots didn't last and wasn't that great to begin with...unfortunately. read more

Solid 4 stars. I don't own Louboutins but I took few if my favorite pumps here that I wore for 5+ years. One of them a dog had a chew party with it when she was a puppy. Fortuna had it re-re-repaired the heel, glued and painted it back. They also re-soled all the heels with a Vibram sole for 40/pair. I have to say being completely spoiled by Atlantic Leather in Richmond, I think I might have found a suitable replacement. read more

So happy there are still places that believe not everything has to be disposable. They fixed two of my Italian handbags. Super service.