We are a family transitioning to minimal footwear after reading all of Katy Bowman's books...we decided to order our first pairs of shoes from Softstar. My son really enjoyed the entire process of creating his custom gamblers and I went with the brown Mary Jane style. The shoes took about a week and a half to arrive. They use minimal packaging and paper to process requests. We were so impressed with the quality and craftsmanship of these shoes. They are unique and true to the size we measured using their downloadable guide. We put them on immediately and felt so comfortable from the first step. We feel grounded as well as protected from the elements while still able to wiggle and wriggle our toes with comfort. Just beautiful! Thank you Elves for making our first shoes amd know we will wear them proudly and happily. L. read more

Dont buy shoes from Softstar. The shoes are okay but when you return them for an exchange or a refund, Nothing Happens. I spent over $170 on shoes, followed all of their instructions to exchange, and they act like they never received the shoes when I have proof from USPS that they did. Its been 2 weeks and I only want my money back now! Beware of this company!! read more

Soft Star Shoes rock! We have been buying Soft Stars since our kids were babies and love that they are comfortable, customizable, and made in Philomath, Oregon! read more

This place is amazing! Part factory, part workshop all awesome footwear! Cool slide to get from top to bottom!

My absolute favorite shoes for my wide feet! The primal merry Janes are my favorite closed toe shoe.

The staff at Softstar is just soooo sweet - they work so hard and make such beautiful shoes! I think I own five pairs now and they've really saved me because minimalist shoes have changed the way I carry my body and have really helped pain from misalignment disappear! They always go the extra mile to make sure all their customers are happy. The shoes are high quality and will last a long time. The choices of colors are very fun. And they just sent me the sweetest pink leather heart for Valentine's Day enclosed with my order this week. You all are the best! Thanks so much! You are in great hands with this company! read more

okay. How much fun is this? hahahaha These are basically leather socks. Or second skins. A way to go barefoot without stumping your toe. As I understand it, there are people who wear these shoes for running -- but as I haven't run anywhere since about 1985 (!) -- I can't say much about them as running shoes. But for protecting feet and keeping warm in winter without heavy shoes -- this is it! And they make them to order. You pick the leathers, the material/thickness for soles, the color(s), the lining, laces, fringe, elastic, fit -- everything. And a week later, you've got shoes. Wide feet? Long narrow feet? Chubby little toddler feet? Cold feet? Sasquatch feet? Hairy hobbit feet? Baby shoes. School shoes. House slippers. yoga shoes. Workout shoes. Put taps on them and they're the most flexible dance shoes ever. In summer they breathe. In winter they're cozy. Put baggies on them and they're dry. Or not Put spaghetti sauce on them and they're dinner. ;D Good product. Nice people. Reasonable price. Cute inside-the-hollow-tree look to the shop. One thing -- you have to climb tall stairs to get to the shop -- so if you're on wheels or crutches, you might want to talk to them on the phone from your car, or just order online. If you can get to the shop, though -- it's worth it. If I'd just ordered over the net, I'd have gotten the wrong size. !! read more

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Soft Star is such a great spot. They have a huge selection of minimalist footwear for all ages and uses. Plus you can't beat things made in our own town! And the employees are always so kind and helpful. Highly recommend!! read more

Holy Frickin' Soft Shoes!!! We got a great gift card for an early Christmas present for slippers... Sue was ahhhhmazing!!! Red carpet treatment from the minute we walked in the door... product and service so great we also doubled down and came out of pocket for boots, casual footwear and of course our new Christmas Slippers!!! read more

Softstar is a fabulous place to visit! Not only are their shoes cool, their customer service is amazing- every time I've gone they have been super helpful and let me design my own custom colors for my shoes. You can get a tour of their workshop if you ask which is really interesting. The building is a huge rehabbed roller rink filled with whirring sewing machines, cutting machines and smells like leather. There is even a spiral slide you get to ride down at the end of the tour! The best part however is that long after your visit, your feet will love you if you buy the shoes. They are hands-down the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn and I feel like I'm barefoot every time I'm in them. read more

Softstar Shoes - Shoe Stores Near Me - Philomath, Oregon

I like their shoes. It got a little awkward when they debited my card for the full price shown on the web and then emailed a few days later asking for 55% more money for the shoes I had ordered. They said they had posted a mistaken price on the web site. I felt uncomfortable. I don't want to be harsh in the middle of a pandemic, I'm sure it was an honest mistake. Just be sure when you order that you are seeing accurate prices from them! read more

Have purchased several pairs of shoes from them, really tried to give them a chance. The runamoc primal is one of the most, if not the most poorly constructed shoe I've ever seen. The leather upper does not extend all the way to the toe and is not sewn to the lower in front, so the rubber toe protector is essentially fake news. As a result, the footwear is prone to premature failure at the seam, in my case with the latest pair this happened in weeks. Have had numerous seam failures on other pairs in various places, the longest a pair of these shoes has ever lasted me was a couple of months, and I have had bespoke footwear made for the prices they charge, as in made to fit my exact foot with materials I specify. Would recommend not wasting your money on an inferior product. read more

First the size, Softstar does not make half sizes. I find their ladies 9 to be just a tad tight and size 10 to be long and floppy, causing me to trip. 9 1/2 would be a perfect fit. Secondly, the quality is not always top notch. The Chukka I bought had a cut in the leather for the left shoe. For the price of these shoes the quality should be perfect. read more

I recently ordered and received a pair of Softstar Shoes. This is my first minimalist shoe. I opted for the ballet flat with the sports closure, and I am so happy I did. They are made with a soft leather and last me all day. It's such a great feeling to take my shoes off after 9 plus hours and not feel anything; that's because I feel no restraints or pain all day. The end of the day "I can't wait to take my shoes off" anticipation is over. My only gripe is the cost, but if I'm supporting a small business AND receiving a quality product that supports my health, then it is money well spent. read more

The quality seems good, the shoe is sturdy and made in the USA- BUT the sizing system is poor- the shoes are unisex and there is only one size for both men and women, and being an 8 in women's i was exactly between their size 7 and Size 6. Both shoes fit terribly. The 7 was so big the sides of the leather shoe rubbed against the floor when i walked, and the 6 was so tight my toes were crunched at the tip. For an online shoe with very difficult sizing, they should be more forgiving with their return policy. BUYER BEWARE: if it looks like you wore the shoes at all you will not get your money back-- even if the fit is awful. I tried ---- and really wanted to love these shoes, but the bad sizing and awful return policy- has me running back to Tieks- who will return or exchange or replace shoes at any time for you-- and who have a very clear ( non- unisex shoe sizing design) read more

I haven't been to this store location, but I've bought several pairs of Soft Star shoes online and have realized over the past couple months how AMAZING their customer services is (specifically Elf Katie, but I suspect everyone is incredible). I ordered a pair that didn't quite fit right, so I returned them and bought another pair, but repeated this a couple times, accidentally told them the wrong size I wanted for my new pair, and generally created a really tricky (and probably annoying) customer scenario for someone to sort out (totally unintentional, I feel like a dummy for accidentally making it that hard!). Nonetheless, Katie was incredibly kind and helpful, and on top of that, they get things processed really fast for being a small operation! And as for the shoes, they're just amazing. I've purchased two pairs of Merry Jane's in years past (which are still going strong and look/feel great) and just purchased two pairs of Ballerines to add to my collection of good-for-my-feet work shoes. LOVE them all. Highly recommend this company. read more

I have 3 pairs of softstarshoes. All three are custom made, and nothing beats actually meeting the cobbler who handmade your shoes. The material's are high quality and super comfortable. I wear my SSS's at least 4 days a week. Oh, and another nice feature- Leather is naturally breathable, which means you can wear them without socks and they don't stink, ever. Look for me around town wearing my "Chris Nordyke State Farm" shoes. So cool I can have custom made shoes in my business colors, and for less than $100. I am really excited to get the RunAmoc's that are coming out later this spring. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE! Bought a pair of SSS for my BB last week (caramel ramblers), we got them yesterday, put them on him, and we are in love with them! They are super comfy, flexible, the leather is super supple and soft, and the sheepskin lining looks very warm and cozy. The husband and I are even thinking of getting a pair for ourselves! On top of that, this company has awesome customer service, we had a slight mix up so I called to get it fixed, and they took care of it right away without missing a beat. This is definitely a company I'll be supporting for years to come! Small business, awesome product sourced and made in the US, great CS...Winning! read more

Great custom leather and natural shoes. We have a few pairs for the kiddo (2yo). She likes walking in them and they wear very well. You get to pick the colors and the designs when you order them. Just fun and a great local company! #corvsmb read more

Excellent quality, fast shipping and great service!

Fraudulent, in that they place an employee on the phone taking orders who FOUR TIMES SENT ME WRONGLY-SIZED SHOES and the owner of the company has the gall to blame me as a customer saying, and I quote, that the "customer's intuition" has got to guide the sizing. How is intuition even an issue when the exact measurements are given to the employee and the employee still advises to size X or Y and advises wrongly? How can intuition be used when their own sizing is so inconsistent they have different sizes across models? How can intuition be used for buying shoes never before seen because the shoes are only online?! The one time I was able to get a differfent phone consultant, the right sizes were sent. I have paid for 4 pair of useless, expensive leather shoes, due to SoftStarShoes and only two pair in proper sizing. Their service rep is so abysmal that this past order I said this is my exact SoftStar size, in this model, and I will let you decide the size in the other model since previously my picking the size based on your advise has caused me painful financial loss. The latest pair was so off-base anyone working in a shoe-making with any decent knowledge of their product would not have sent it. I sent photos, even, to show them the gross mistake. The company still refused to take ownership of their actions, and refused refund or exchange. THIS COMPANY MUST HAVE A VERY LOW SELF-ESTEEM TO SCAPEGOAT AS THEY DO WHEN THEY ERR. THEY DENY, THEY BLAME, AND THEY SHAME THEIR CUSTOMERS. The owner proceeded to speak as is if talking to a 2 year old, saying their patience was just about being worn with my being a customer of theirs, despite the fact that their customer has supported the company with hundreds upon hundred of dollars in good faith. What a way to manipulate someone, and pass blame, and try to make a person feel badly. Shame on them. If you are fortunate enough to not encounter their blaming, to find your right size right away by getting an employee who actually knows their product, good for you. But know that you are supporting a company that brags about it's ethics yet does not mind abusing people as they can get away with it as abusers do, in secret, in hiding, with denial. Even though I could now find a way to work only with the employee who is capable of advising properly, who is the owner, now that it is clear that there is no issue with my feet (yep, they also tried to pawn blame upon my feet -- um, no, my feet have not changed in measurement in the moments since the measurements were given), I think I will use my "intuition" and STAY AWAY FROM FRAUDS like SoftStarShoes. As long as they continue to delude themselves about their flaws and avoid their wrongdoings they will attract to themselves the very behavior they are putting out...suppliers, and vendors, and other people they have thought are credible will mirror to them their misbehavior. It is sad they don't care about themselves more, but that is their choice. As for me, I have learned to stand up for myself in the face of abusive arrogance and in the future will strictly do business with people who act with integrity, through-and-through. If anyone wants one or more pair of size 10 SoftStar shoes in new condition, write me. read more

Love the eco-friendly, made in America ethics. The shoes are super cozy and soft. My son loves them and hates to put on anything else. But....wish they were constructed a little sturdier for the little ones. Each pair has come apart at the seams in the toe box, after just a short period. He loves them so much that I keep getting them anyway, and usually send them back to be restitched, which they do for free. My pair (mary janes) are super cozy, especially on dirt or grass, harder to get used to on concrete. The velcro band could be a bit better constructed, falls off repeatedly. Overall, good company and we continue to support them. read more

Cool factory. Really fun to be able to watch the employees actually making the shoes. The one employee that did help me was very nice and patient talking about which shoe would be best for me. And they had the coolest toddler play area that I've ever seen! Kept my two-year-old very occupied. read more

They are amazing and well made but they ran huge for us. I wish I would have known I could have sent in a custom fit size.

Just received my chukkas yesterday in the mail. The fit is amazing-it feels like I'm not wearing shoes. The craftsmanship is beautiful. There customer support is fantastic. I originally ordered a regular fit but was too narrow for my foot. I sent them back and they sent me a wide fit . These are my new go to office shoes. read more

Surprised by the hugely positive reviews. Their children's shoes don't actually promote a "barefoot" stride; they're a bit shoddy & fall off easily. I wear barefoot shoes myself, but none of the brands make a child's shoe, so I was really hoping to love these for my son. I guess I wil have to keep looking! read more

High quality shoes for kids. The soles are soft and flexible. If you need a custom fit, you can send in measurements and have a pair made.

Two years ago they would've gotten 5 stars hands down. They were the most comfortable shoes I'd ever worn. But I've ordered 2 pairs in the last couple of months and neither one has been as comfortable as they used to be. They changed the cut of their running shoes so now they rub your heels instead of being comfortable enough to wear even without socks. If I wear them with higher socks I can still avoid getting blisters, which is more than I can say for most athletic shoes, but the beauty of the old ones was that I didn't have to think about how I wore them to avoid having them hurt my feet. Still seems like a good company though, and their customer service is excellent. You can also get narrow and wide widths in everything and every color. read more

I love the company, and the concept, and my son loves his suede moccasins, which are quite pretty. However they advertise these "suede roos" as being "indoor/dry outdoor" and our son wore through the bottom of the shoe in less than three months of wearing them about three days a week and not getting them wet ever. The company seemed unconcerned when I told them, and offered us a $20 coupon towards another pair (they cost about $50). We bought some leather to patch the shoes. I would not say they wear as well as another pair of moccasins he had, but they look more comfortable. read more

I'm new to yelp, but not new to Soft Star Shoes - we have been loyal customers for quite a few years now, and it is because they are so great. We honestly cannot find a comparable shoe, and their customer service is the best. If you are looking for a minimalist shoe company, that cares about their shoes, and customers - look no further. read more

These are good shoes. It should be noted that underneath the leather where your foot rests is a thin layer of dense foam. Because I like to walk on nothing but a thin layer of leather, I did this: With the Vibram sole that usually comes standard, I put the shoe in front of one of those small electric heaters that blows hot air for a few minutes and peeled off the vibram sole because that softens the glue. Then I cut out the bottom layer of leather and discarded along with the foam. What you're left with is a single layer of thin leather where your foot normally would rest inside the shoe (there is layer of leather where your foot rests, and then another layer under the foam where the vibram sole is glued. I then went down to the 18 wheeler tire seller and picked up a bag of rubber dust. I then mixed the rubber dust with Petronio's Master Cement (not the quick drying kind). By the way Petronio's can be purchased on ebay and is much stronger than barge cement. I mixed it in a small screw down glass bottle (I used an empty bottle of dry yeast). I then allowed the glue to settle overnight so it forms a better consistency. Then I just pasted a thin layer of the goop (very thin actually) with a rubber glove. After allowing it to dry for about three days I wore it. The sole did not wear down after six months, but if you step on something sharp after six months, like a tac, it will make a hole, and you have to patch that somehow or it will get bigger. Some people pile up several layers of the rubber dust glue, but it seems that that is taking away from the barefoot walking. The advantage is that wearing it this way is practically barefoot walking and the sole is waterproof due to the rubber dust-glue mixture. Thought I'd share. If somebody does a lot of running on asphalt, it would be like barefoot running, but I just use them for everyday walking. read more