Wow, Joseph's craftsmanship is incredible! Thanks to my trusty Yelp app for finding this place. The store is so tucked away in the back of Montecito shopping plaza, who would've thunk? I brought my purse to clean, it was immaculate. I will bring more of my purses here and some need repairs. He is truly passionate about repairing fine leather goods and customizing orthotics. He offers great advice; he's been doing this for decades. 'Til next time ~ happy feet and see you on Yelp (SYOY)! read more

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Sad to say, the 1 star reviews are accurate and almost too generous. They were going to charge $300 to fix the soles on a pair of sailing boots, a $50 repair at most. jc San Rafael read more

Don't even go into this store. Stop!! Stop!! Shop elsewhere. The owner Joseph, is ripping his customers off. He charged $2500 for orthotics. He would not even provide us with a receipt so we could deduct this medical expense on our income taxes. So not only is he ripping of his customers but he also is not going to paying his required federal taxes by not reporting income! He has not even paid up for his ceritficate that permits him to operate an Orthopedic Store. It expired 7 months a ago. It is on his wall. Jospeh tries to come across as sweet old guy who has never been able to find anyone to be his assistant. Guess why! Don't be fooled, he is a crododile. There are other stores very near by who make great orthhotics. Go online to get their names and adresses. DO NOT GET RIPPED OFF!!! GO ELSEWHERE!! read more

I brought in a good quality pair of low slip-on leather boots to have the insoles stretched out. The quote was for $40! I felt that was extremely high. All they were doing was stretching the shoes. I took my boots to another long standing and reputable shoe repair on 4th Street in San Rafael and the charge was $15. That felt right (and fair) to me. It also came with a warranty that said if it wasn't a perfect fit after the first time they would redo it until it was right, at no extra cost. I think the Montecito Shoe and Leather Repair pricing was exorbitant. read more

The best service for leather repair and custom work, for shoes, purses, and even a coat (!) that I have ever known. Highly detailed and skilled craftsmanship and advice. I even had a custom adjustment made to a new pair of Birkenstock sandals to make them a better fit for my orthopedic needs. The best is not inexpensive, bot this shop's work is worth every penny. read more

The owner is a real jerk. I asked for a simple shoe lift. He insisted that I get an orthotic. I explained that I had tried one and it didn't work for me. I wanted just the lift, which I have had done elsewhere for under $50. The owner said he would do it for $300. A complete jerk. read more

I started going to see Joseph, at Montecito Shoe & Leather Repair over Ten years ago, in that time he has done a number of repair's for me. My reason for going, was to have lifts put into my tennis shoe's. My Right leg has been short by half an inch for over 50 years, the last Ten years, I have been without pain in my lower back and Left Knee, I recently had a hip replacement, while they were able to close the gap from half inch to a quarter inch, i was hoping not to have lifts installed, after two months of wearing shoes with no lift's my problems returned, I now have had the quarter inch lift installed and my problems are solved! I'm incredibly active, I average 30k step's a day. Joseph has done lift's on over 50 pairs of shoes for me. My biggest concern. is what I'll do when he retires!! The service is Top Notch!!!!! read more

I went into this shoe repair store for a simple repair. I Was asked to prepay $80 for the repair, which was slightly less then the cost of the shoe. Left the pair of shoes for repair. Upon pick up one shoe was never touch while the other did not seem any different. His solution was to wear a pad under my toes. I knew this would effect my gait and posture and wondered why he did not mention this before he took money for the repair At this point he got defensive almost refusing do anything else. He eventually did take the shoe back and did a five minute repair sloppily. I told him his work was disappointing for the prices he charges. He yelled at me not to come back and leave. I walked out but came back to tell him I was posting on yelp my experience. He then yelled at me including the phase F--k you before I walked out. Obviously with the poor quality of work, high prices and disrespect for customers I will not be returning. read more

I had two leather purses that were too long for me. The straps were too long. I decided to try this leather shop in Montecito Plaza. This place is in a strange location. It's down toward the water and behind the other shops facing the Canal. I was warmly greeted by the owner, Joseph who was very sweet. I paid $25 each for two leather alterations to make the long straps shorter. Joseph had me stand and took proper measurements to make sure everything looked right. I picked up my handbags a week later and they look fabulous! This shop does Orthopedic shoes, various alterations and shoe cobbling work. I am very pleased someone is still doing this kind of work with the attention to detail Joseph has. Wonderful store!! read more

Montecito Shoe & Leather Repair - Front of Joseph's shop facing the Canal. - Shoe Repair Near Me - San Rafael, California

I brought shoes in for heel repair or replacement. Owner talked me into repairing nicks on the heel with leather. Repair work would be about $10 less than new heels and would match original heel color better. I must say I am very disappointed with the results of "patchwork" job he did on the heel and told him as much. He said if I could find someone who could do a better job he would refund my $60. Needless to say I won't return. read more

They did an amazing job restoring two pairs of leather boots for me. I was nervous to bring in my treasured (and expensive) boots because of bad experiences with other cobblers, but I was immediately put at ease with how friendly and knowledgeable the business owner was. In addition to replacing the soles, we decided to add a thin layer of cushioned material underneath the outer sole to make them a little more comfortable for walking. They are literally better than new!! read more

Montecito Shoe & Leather Repair - Soles replaced and leather restored to amazing condition! - Shoe Repair Near Me - San Rafael, California

Joseph is excellent in his craft. I have one leg longer due to hip surgery. He was able to give me a correction in my shoes to a make both legs the same length. I cancelled my back surgery and I am pain free! read more

DO NOT GET ORTHOTICS HERE! $600 later & they don't fit or work. I was told I could come back to get fixed or return if they didn't work. When I came in he had only excuses. I've been having my shoe souls & heels repaired here. That's the service to stick with. The dr scholls orthotics are better and affordable! read more

Too expensive...looking elsewhere for service

USE THIS SHOP FOR ORTHOTICS!!!!!! I have worked with Joseph for years and have found him to be CONSISTENTLY kind, respectful and customer centric. I find it hard to believe he would ever behave in the manner described by Ellen M. He is amazing at what he does. Even after I moved to Sonoma county, I still drive to his shop for all my shoe and leather good needs...and I LOVE his orthotics! He is without question the best shoemaker in Marin and in my opinion, did not deserve to be so maligned. read more

Small little shoe shop with great service. I was there to have my West Marin Rain coverall repair. The thread that was sewn from the suspender hard plastic and coverall ripped and it can not be sewn back by hand since the plastic is really hard. The only place I can think of having a strong sewing machine would be a shoe repair shop. This first place I can think of is this shop since it has plenty of free parking. I was not sure if the repair was even possible but i gave it a shot. Came in and explain my situation and my coverall was fixed in 5 minute. The stitch work was awesome and even the color match. If you ever need a show repair or heavy duty stitch work, this is the place to go. read more

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I have relied on Joseph to fabricate lifts on my shoes for years. I have a significant leg length discrepancy and need these to walk. I have used a shoe lift my entire life and have never had the pleasure of working witb a better cobbler. He is attentive to detail and a master at his craft. read more

I have read all reviews a good half year AFTER I got my orthotics done by Joseph. Of course, I got blown away by the review of Ms. Ellen. I have learned that Joseph is the kindest and the most respectful person, and very knowledgeable in his field. His service was excellent. I got 2 pair of orthotics, one pair for my high heel-Tango-shoes. Yes! I am dancing on them, and they look like new after 6 months of dancing on them about 3 times a week. The other pair is for flat shoes and they feel relaxing and great. He also balanced my Tango shoes' heels and repaired the toe part. I can highly recommend this shop. read more

I went to this store two years ago out of ignorance and felt that the price was way to high but went ahead with it. This time I had time to shop around and it was time well spent. This store was more than three times the price of two other well established sand sort of store. SHOP AROUND! read more

This place is hard to find...its on the back side of the Montecito Shopping Center and faces the Canal. I think its the only store back there. He did a great job replacing a zipper on a leather jacket. I went in with a nice leather jacket we bought in Ecuador about 10 years ago. Still in perfect shape but the zipper broke. He had some that perfectly matched the one in there. Came back a week later and it looked as good as new. read more

This place's prices are outrageous. Do not patronize, as it is a rip-off. $100 to put a rivet in a small travel bag and rub some conditioner on it. AYFKM. That on top of changing me twice to fix the same latch on a brief case when they could have done it right in the first place. I am sure there are more reasonable merchants in the area read more

I came here when, in my late 50s, it was painful for me to walk as osteoarthritis eroded my hips and knees. This man created orthotics for me for all my shoes that made walking nearly painless. I still use everything he made for me (some have been updated) and give full credit to him for being able to delay joint replacement surgeries and continue staying painlessly active. I am a huge fan. read more

I bought a handbag on ebay for my mom as a christmas gift. The leather handle is scratched up and wore out. Out of a hurry, I took the bag to this shop without checking for yelp or google search. Result? A prominent red dot on the leather handle (originally brown). I asked politely about the work involved for the $35 I paid and the care instruction for future reference, the owner got very irritated. Finally, when asked politely about a possible warranty for the repair job, he replied "If you go see a doctor for a back pain, and later it hurts again, will you go back and ask for refund?" He laughed with a satisfaction! So if you do not want to get ripped off and be treated with rudeness, I suggest you go some where else. read more

Joseph is a very nice and extremely knowledge person when it comes to the bio-mechanics of the foot. He did an outstanding job of adding a rock sole to my running shoes, that has resulting in my having significantly less foot pain. I've had rocker soles made in the past by very good people, but none have been at the level of Joseph. I couldn't recommend anyone more highly. read more

I have had quite a lot of problems with my knee for about a year. I had to make a sudden, unexpected trip to New York that involved a lot of walking. My knee was somewhat healed but I was very concerned about walking and the pain I had been experiencing. Over the phone Joseph reassured me that he knew what I needed. He requested that I bring in the shoes I expected to wear during my trip. He created custom shoe orthotics for 3 pairs of shoes: boots, heels & walking shoes. And he did this within a few days!! All I can say is he saved me and my knee and my trip! I can walk without any discomfort - I even went dancing with absolutely no pain! Joseph was most kind and respectful at every step of this process. I will continue to go to him for all my shoe repairs and any orthotic needs that arise. He saved the day! Thank you Montecito Orthopedic Shoe Repair! read more

Look no further! This is the place! The owner is gifted, thorough, and his prices are very reasonable, besides being a very nice guy. He's been making orthotics for me, my husband and my son and "customizing" my Birks for my high arches for more than 10 years. My feet are very happy because of Joe. I was living in SoCal, and I actually sent my Birks up to Joe in San Rafael to get them "customized". I just moved back to Belmont (20 miles south of SFO). I am still taking my shoes and boots (to be stretched in the heel) to Joe, even though it's almost an hour trip in each direction. I'm a jaded ex-New Yorker, and I gotta tell you, he's that good! read more

Joseph is excellent at his work. He is patient and helpful in all respects. His service has always been outstanding. I've been pleased to recommend him to family and friends who want assistance with elaborate orthotics or simple repairs. Dr. P. G. Tiburon read more

SMALL PROBLEM TURNED INTO LONG-TERM DAMAGE I went to this shop for orthotics based on the reviews shown here, and have regretted it ever since. The owner is nice, but did not have the ability to identify a problem with the orthotic he made, resulting in severe damage to my ankle. I purchased orthotics as my arches were beginning to fall after years of dance and walking barefoot. It was a basic thing that comes with getting older; I could have gone anywhere. Upon delivery of the orthotics, I noticed that one ankle/foot began to hurt soon after I started wearing them; the other one (the one that had issues that led me to get orthotics) actually felt better, so I thought maybe it was a manufacturing issue. I went back to find out what went wrong and over and over Joseph adjusted the problem orthotic - more than a dozen times - while the pain grew worse and worse. I showed him where it hurt, how my gait had changed because of the orthotic, and he even remade it once when he realized the original one was "off". He told me the problem was caused by my shoes (I bought several pair of expensive, high-quality athletic shoes to address his charge; no difference) and that my legs were two different lengths and that I needed to get all of my shoes adjusted (for a cost) to compensate. Each time he tried to show me how adding a lifter to the one side of each pair of shoes would help, and all it did was make me stand off-kilter. After four months of this, I was in such pain that I could barely put weight on the foot/ankle on the side with the troublesome orthotic and had to quit dance for the first time in more than 20 years. I went to a podiatrist, who quickly realized the orthotic was made too long, pushing up the ball of my foot with each step and putting a great deal of strain on my ankle... basically spraining my ankle with each step. It took the podiatrist less than 15 minutes to figure this out by holding the orthotic against my foot without a shoe. When I told Joseph this, and showed him my doctor's note indicating the clinical problem, he was shocked. I would expect someone in this industry, who charges more than competitors, to be able to identify and address problems, but such was not the case. Over a year later, I've had MRIs, x-rays, I wore a cast on the ankle and walked with a cane for 3 months, and I still wear a large brace to hold my ankle in place to this day, but the pain is still contstant. At one point surgery was possible, but daily physical therapy has helped stave off that possibility. It's too late for me, but you can go somewhere else! read more

I don't know what Ellen M is talking about, because my experience with Joseph (the owner) was starkly different. I have been dealing with him for about 1 1/2 years. The orthotics he made for me have turned my life around. I have arthritis in both of my feet and had several occasions when I had to walk on crutches during the two years I dealt with Kaiser podiatrists before I found Joseph. After Joseph made my orthotics I was able to play basketball with my son. As for his temperment - I walked into his shop one day and was next in line behind a woman who asked Joseph to adjust her orthotics five different times. Each time, he took the orthotics to his bench, made the adjustments she requested and never became irritated. You can't do better than this guy. read more

Joseph may be good at certain repairs, but you should not let him diagnose your foot pain, even though he is quite willing to do so. When I came in to inquire about orthotics, he told me my problem was that one leg was longer than the other. (This happens to be true of everyone, but it causes pain in only a few people.) In fact, I have osteoarthritis in one foot. Orthotics can help, but building up one shoe does not. read more

The gentleman seems very kind, sincere and seemingly knowledgeable about feet and body mechanics, but after further investigation with my orthopedic surgeon and 2 podiatrists, when it comes to diagnosing medical conditions, he now seems more like a charlatan, or a rip-off artist. Like another reviewer said, he told me one leg was longer than the other, and this was the root of many of my problems. He quickly began the process of making custom orthotics without first telling me the cost, so I felt obliged to continue. I was shocked at the price when the whole process was over. Six hundred dollars ($600) isn't going to break me, and to alleviate my foot problems it seemed steep, but worth it. I received the orthotics a couple of days later, and after showing them to my friend, who is a well-respected podiatrist, he kind of chuckled and said what Joseph had made for me was an orthotic that would do absolutely nothing for my particular problem. Furthermore, my friend said that he hadn't seen this type of orthotic since he was in school because he made them himself back then (I'm guessing 35 years ago). In short, if you have problems that you think custom orthotic insoles would help to alleviate, go to a well-respected podiatrist. DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID. According to the other reviews, I'm sure he does very good shoe repair, modifications, etc. but he should be a responsible business owner/person/citizen and leave medical diagnoses to folks with medical degrees. He seemed like a nice, well-meaning gentleman. I got sucked-in, I hope you don't. BTW, my friend the podiatrist is in Marin, and I will be seeing him for new custom orthotics soon, and he has all 5-star reviews on this site. I know I should have went to him first, but hopefully my mistake helps others. Also, Kaiser makes them at about 1/2 of Joseph's price of $600.00 by someone with a medical degree. read more