Y'all. Lets just get something straight. Don't come to a shoe repair shop owned by a shoe craftsman asking to get a pair of flip flops from Walmart repaired. This is not your place and the owner will tell you he can't and will not do it... because he just can't!
John was extremely helpful, nice, and direct. I brought him a pair of flats that cost me a couple hundred and that I care about so much I really want to make them last. They were the first nice pair of shoes I bought myself... But, they have a lot of love on them. The sole was so worn there was the beginning of what looked like a hole. The tip of the sole near the toe area was busted, and all around... my flats did not look pretty.
Right away John told me he could fix my shoes by placing a rubber sole on both the heel and the top part (see pictures!). He is very talkative, but in a very endearing way. He and his wife run this whole operation and every time I come to the shop he is working on something with his goggles on. He is very direct and kind of a no-funny business guy and his wife is very sweet. He asks for a deposit, because according to what he told me, people often leave their shoes there for repair and come back weeks later or just not at all. My sole repair cost $45 and I just paid it up front. You get a little ticket with your order number and how much you paid. I dropped them off on a Tuesday and he had them done by the time I came by Friday at 3pm.
This is a local, family run store, so they do things their own way. Cash or checks ONLY, so I had to run to the ATM (there's one 3min away) to get some cash. This is not your typical megastore so don't come expecting an Apple Pay option. I kind of really liked that, and I loved supporting a hardworking and nice couple like them, so I was glad to give a local store my business. He's a master at his craft and you can tell he takes so much pride in his work. He's honest and upfront and won't yip you: so if he can't do the job or your shoe is not fit for that kind of repair he will just tell you that. When he handed me my shoes he looked so happy and even more so happy when he saw how excited I was! He was even more happy when I asked to take a picture of him with the shoes!
Overall, 100% recommend all around for excellent cobbling work. Can't wait to bring in my beat up Birkenstocks next week to get them new soles!
(Disclaimer: in my pics you can see the suede on my flats is worn... That can't really be fixed and I didn't ask him to, he just did the soles!) read more