PLACE sucks Charged a HUGE amount for sole repair on boots -- quoted me $60+ and 2 week wait, took way longer. Soles came off within a month. GARBAGE. There's a guy next to Sam's convenience that did my boots after PERFECTLY within a week. Less than $20 bucks. read more

This place SUCKS. Sheer incompetence. Said two weeks. Took two MONTHS. Charged nearly $100 and the workmanship was pathetic. My boots came apart 4 weeks later. It's a lovely idea. "I'm going to teach women how to be cobblers!" Okay then. Maybe TEACH THEM HOW TO BE COBBLERS then? read more

I've taken oxfords here to replace the noisy heel and reconstruct them. They did an amazing job. So I took a pair of sued platforms to be dyed and they did a great job there too. Recommend highly. read more

I did not get my shoes rebuilt here. So why one star? I walked in when 2 employees were working. I asked about recrafting my dress shoes (complete rebuild of soles, welts, etc). Both workers quickly replied they can replace sole and heel. I asked if they have a good year welt machine. No response. I asked if they would scrape off old cork in midsole area and replace with new cork. Both had blank stares. One worker responded that they work with all kinds of shoes and can do anything. She quoted $150 for replacing my heels and soles. Oh, I also asked if they have JR soles. Never heard of it. I want to support local businesses. I want to give a chance to young entrepreneurs. But it's hard to turn over my $500+ shoes to "cobblers" who don't know what a Goodyear welt is, or how to recraft it. Perhaps they can do simple heel replacement. But it's clear they can't work with finer men's shoes that have Goodyear welt (e.g. Dacks, Alden, Crockett Jones etc.) read more

(*Updated!) Not only do I prefer to support local, small businesses, I'm happy to rave about a tiny start-up, run by women in a traditional craft-persons trade. I showed them my boots, asked if the could resole them. They said Yes, ordered me up some Vibram soles and I felt confident my boots would come out great. They LOOKED great when I got them, the soles were perfect shape and colour, and no more gummy crepe to walk on. Yay! It's mere months later and the soles were beginning to separate from the boots. (I have photos, but can't see where I could post them.) I don't live downtown anymore, and I ride a motorbike, so I basically have to wait for decent weather to take them in, or spend the day on the GO just to have them re-repaired. ***~ UPDATE ~ *** So, I finally made it in, cringing at the thought of questioning their work, but I was not let down at all, and they were really understanding. *Note* The soles of my boots ARE a difficult material to work with. Crepe is 'greasy' and may not take to sole cement, so it's partially my particular boot fault that it's a hard fix. They did the best they could have, and will try once more (free of charge, super cool) but they also suggested I may need to have them stitched and also recommended a place to go. *One more Note* I also needed to have the zippers replaced, and the owner said she'd just charge me for one zipper, which is more than generous since zippers are a pricey repair. Either way, I left feeling good. I have a couple other boots that will soon need l repairs and I will not hesitate to make my way to their shop once again and will recommend. I believe their work is sound, and they are totally professional and forthright when it comes to any issues. Thanks! read more

Sole Survivor - Shoe Repair Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great little store! It's easy to miss, so you gotta know what you're looking for. It's located next to Courage, My Love, in the basement. You'll see a sign that says Sole Survivor type inside a black shoe logo. The store resembles a cave - it's pretty dark and dingy, with unfinished walls, lots of dust and dirt, and plenty of jagged concrete. However, what they lack in decor, they make up in stock and skill. They're stocked up on all kinds of shoe materials - leather polish, waterproofing materials, shoe horns and laces. The ladies who work here are all super knowledgeable and are always glad to answer any questions I had. I came here to get a pair of boots waterproofed, and instead of charging to get it done, the ladies suggested I try to do it myself, and showed me how - saved me a lot of money and time. I really do like how they were very honest and open with me about the cheaper DIY option. You can also purchase shoes from here - a lot of them are vintage or used but repaired. They don't have as huge of a selection as some of the other thrift stores in the area, but it's worth a peek anyways since a lot of these shoes have been repaired to pretty good shape. Also, the prices are always very affordable! Closed on Mondays, pretty sure they're cash only too. read more

Warning: This review is going to sound like a made up story; it's not. This is a tale of how businesses should not operate. A few days ago, on the recommendation of a friend, I dropped one boot off at Sole Survivor in Kensington to replace the zipper. The store clerk quoted me $35, wrote it down on a yellow receipt and explained that I should pay when I pick it up in 2 weeks time. A few days later I get a phone call from the shop and was shocked to discover the reason for the call. The store clerk told me that the sales lady had quoted me a wrong price to fix the zipper on my boot. Instead of $35 the price was now $50 + tax and that's what I will need to pay upon arrival. Naturally I was frustrated. I was quoted a price (in writing) and now, days later they were calling to tell me that they will NOT honour the original quote. I was already of the view that $35.00 was pretty steep however, it was a local business and I wanted to support them. I, patiently, explained how unfair I thought that was and the store clerk said she would speak to the owner then call me back. Fifteen minuets later she calls me back to confirm that I will still have to pay $50 end of story. Now I was very upset! How can a company quote someone a price in writing (aka a contractual agreement) and then have the audacity to call the customer days later and say that because the store clerk "made a mistake" that means I must now pay this new random price to fix my boot which I would have never agreed too in the first place! Horrendous customer service if you ask me. And wait it actually gets worse! After a detailed discussion the store clerk agreed to try one more time with the owner. Saturday morning I get a third call from Sole Survivor, to tell me that I was being "pushy" over the phone. PUSHY!? I did nothing wrong except try to give a small, local business in Kensington market my money. I answered all their calls (calling me throughout the day while I was at work) and simply explained to them that I felt it was unfair to change the price days after it was agreed in writing. It's shocking. Any professional business would have just sucked it up, after all we are talking about an extra $15 to make a customer satisfied. They should really be embarrassed. They took no consideration into how changing the agreed price would effect their customer. They showed no sympathy, no consideration, were not apologetic and what's worse; turned the situation around on me to make it seem like I was the one at fault! Unbelievable. I feel, quite rightly, taken advantage of and am very upset with how they thought name calling and unjustly pressuring me into paying more money would make this situation okay. Sole Survivor went out of its way to make an enemy out of what could have been an ongoing and good customer. My advice to readers; Stay away from Sole Survivor in Kensington. I don't want anyone else going through what I had to endure! There are so many friendly, family owned shoe repair shops around Toronto and the GTA who actually are in this business not to "sole"ely make money but to actually help out their community. Buyer/Customer beware! read more

Had soles re-glued and there are spaces where the new sole is not touching the shoe. I'm not confident they will stay glued. And there are marks on the heels that weren't there before. I paid $70 and expected much better work. I wouldn't go back. read more

I would love to support a local business, especially one owned and operated by women, but I can't support this place. These are just a bunch of hipsters who jumped into the shoe repair business without any training or experience. Their work is shoddy, the turnaround times are unreasonably long, and the prices are on the high side. Shoe repair isn't something you can just jump into -- you need to work at it and hone your craft. This clearly didn't happen here. read more

I purchased a watch strap online that looked red but turned out to be more pink in real life, so I brought it to sole survivor and they did a great job dying it into a true red. It took about two weeks and I'm really happy with the result. read more

Sole Survivor - dyed red - Shoe Repair Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Sole Survivor is a small, bustling shoe repair shop in Kensington Market. If you have a favourite pair of shoes that need to be re-soled, they can do it. read more

My new soles lasted for only 2 seasons...last spring and last fall. Then I found I had worn that rubber right back down to the wood! (The initial sole that came with these frye boots lasted me 3 yrs) I'm 100lbs and I don't drag my feet when I walk. Tried another spot in Toronto this month, and will update as to how those new soles held out. read more

I took in my favourite pair of YSL boots to be repaired and my experience in person and via messaging was very pleasant. The repair was perfect! I had had a few concerns regarding the soles being put on but was insured that what they were suggesting would not alter the integrity of the shoe. They let me think on it for a day as I was hesitant. In the end I trusted their suggestions and I could not be happier. Great work! read more

Update to last post: the tread is still on after being tacked and shows no sign of wearing off anytime soon! I also went back again with two pairs of boots - one suede and one synthetic - to have treads put on in an effort to make it through another winter without killing myself on a tile floor. As they examined them, they noted the heel on one was wearing down (and quickly - I only had that pair for a couple days) and said I should take it easy or else it would wear into the actual heel and they'd have to re-build it later on and it'd be expensive. I opted for them to re-do the entire heel then and there. The heels looks GREAT and they use a high-quality rubber, securely tacked on. They gave me a half-tread on both boots and they're much better than one I got last winter from somewhere else. Price: $24 for a 2x half-tread on each. $20 for 1x heel rubber ($68 total) Time (for two pairs): 1 week Compare to another cobbler last year where a half-tread was $40, twice the time, and has since begun to peel off and the "tread" is now slick. read more

Got a pair of shoes resoled. It took almost 6 weeks to get them back. I wore them for 20 minutes and they were squeaking so loud. I brought them back and waited another 2 weeks for them to fix the squeak. I got them back and it was STILL squeaking and on top of that there were nails poking through into the insole aka my foot. Oi Veyyyy read more

I took a pair of boots here because I needed a custom insole made. I was told what they would do and that it would take about a week. After no response a week later and checking back several times over the next 3 weeks and every time being told that it would "only take a couple more days" I finally got my boots back with nothing done to them at all. I was given a pair of stock leather inserts and told that she had done work underneath the leather mid-sole. This is impossible to do without destroying the integrity of the boot's structure and she took advantage of my lack of understanding. I was lied to about what was done - which was nothing - and had to wait 3 weeks for a pair of leather inserts that I could've gotten anywhere and charged for something which was different than what I was initially told would happen. I would recommend that one stay away from this place because of their lack of integrity, and to take your business elsewhere. read more

Took my Manolo Blahnik's into Sole Survivor and they came back better than before. I did a number on the heel (me+sidewalks don't get along) and ripped the leather all up the back like nobody's business. The shop is in a excellent location (downstairs beside (North of) Courage My Love), upon entering you can see the entire shop, the shop owner is nice and told me my shoes would be ready in one week. $26 to get my heels fixed and the soles, re-soled. Cash only - don't forget that part! read more

Fantastic. I hadn't visited a cobbler in... well, almost as long as I can remember. I've taken a pair of heels and some boots here, and have it in mind to bring a purse here soon. - Service: Great. Very prompt, honest (she didn't have delusions about what was possible and what wasn't), and knowledgeable. As they're quite popular, especially when the seasons change and people need a winter boot tune-up, wait times in between drop-off and when it'll be ready for pick up can be touch and go - be cognizant of that. - Price: HOLY BUDDHA it's reasonable. Think of it this way: if you like your boots, but they're trashed, would you rather have your boots back for anywhere from $3 to $15 (depending on damage), or would you rather go out and buy a whole new pair? My only gripes are the following: - sometimes difficult to get there during opening hours, but still so very worth the out of the way/time trip - good luck finding parking in the Kensington area - go on foot if you can If you have anything leather that needs reworking, swing by and ask - hence why I'll be taking a purse there soon. read more

My teenage son researched on the net where to get really good shoe repair work done on his boots. I grabbed my down at the heel leather loafers and off to Kensington we went. We had to really look for the location - it's down stairs on the west side despite what google says : ) so look out for it. The work was impeccable. His months old boots needed heels built up and treaded and soles treaded. All done expertly and with good quality materials. My shoes needed heels repaired and new surfaces put on. Again, awesome job. Next up will be a zipper in my son's boots . . . being rebuilt one step at a time! Sole Survivor's people are knowledgeable, friendly and willing to help. Our job was ready when promised. Bags, belts, shoes, boots, backpacks . . . . go here!!!! read more

I brought in my shoes after a hit-and-miss experience at Kaner's that left me feeling a bit sick at having paid that kind of money for nothing. Brought in my shoes to this little (very cute) shop in the basement, and my boots look like brand spanking new. I am about to take back 6 more pairs to get various other things done to them, because I trust them to do what they say they'll do. The prices are very reasonable, $5 for a polish that is professional beyond belief, is better than what I can do at home and aout $10 for fixing the ripped up leather on the toes is also very reasonable. Adding some grippy soles to my shoes is about $15. Well worth every penny. P.S. I paid in cash. I don't think they take any kind of card there, so be forewarned. read more

Cool little spot in Kensington to drop of your shoes to get fixed and get a whiff of shoe glue while you're there. Almost like a spider hole, this tiny basement is reminiscent of a man-cave except for the women there, confident and capable of fixing any leather items that have felt the test of time. Good communication and up front info from them set them apart from the rest. Worth seeking out. read more

Life got the best of me and I didn't leave a timely review. Ordered a pair of boots online for my GF and they were slightly too high and was uncomfortable for when sitting. So like many others I turned to Google and Yelp. I have a leather repair place a few blocks from me but chose this place after reading many positive reviews. Since they were winter boots and it was the beginning of summer I told them it was no rush. Once again, life got the better of me and I totally forgot them there and did not confirm with them what option I wanted to do regarding the alterations. Almost 2 months later I gave them a call and they did an excellent job with the alterations with a couple days. They didn't even charge or get mad at me for leaving it so long. You can't even tell the boots were altered. The work was done for a song! Best part is the GF loved it. New favourite boots! Would recommend this place for sure. read more

I've used sole survivor on a few occasions and have always been very pleased with their work. Great quality and able to turn around repairs quickly! I'm impressed they can achieve such great things out of their tiny spot. Also very central. Keep up the great work! read more

worse place in Toronto , Brougt a leather wallet to be stitched as it was coming apart ;Burberry 20 years old) A simple task one would think , hack of a job too embarassed to even pull it out of my pocket . go to KANERS ! i should have brought it there to begin with ugh read more

This little hole in the wall is a complete gem of a business. Quality work for good prices - what more could you ask from a cobbler? What might seem like a lost art, I'm very grateful for the women at Sole Survivor! New heels, fixed straps, new soles, all kinds of fixes to make my shoes and purses last season's longer and for a much better price than something new! Cash or credit only! read more

I wish there was a zero star option. BEWARE. Maybe they can do routine repairs but anything more BEWARE. Brought in pair of lovely boots in August of LAST year. Six months later and have never seen them again. Every time I go, I get lame-ass excuses. "I sent you an email but we have a new computer system" meanwhile has she her smart phone in hand. I drop in intermittently for a progress report "they are in our other location on Dundas. I'll call when they are done". I keep dropping in making sure they have my contact information and apparently they do. Okay. Months later, no call, no email, no boots, nothing except a stupid little yellow slip. There is something seriously wrong with this place. It's a Jekyll and Hyde situation. Owner can be super charming and media savvy but take a close look at the women working there. They seem miserable. read more

I brought in my boots to be resoled and have the leather conditioned. The clerk and the cobblers working in the back were very helpful, and told me exactly what the boots needed. The price was quite affordable, and the end result seems really great since they look and feel like new. That said, they were very slow and it took MUCH longer than expected to get my boots back - about 7 weeks from bringing them in to when I was finally able to pick them up. There was a sign posted when I first went in that there was a 2 week waiting period, which seemed long but perfectly understandable for a small shop with a good reputation. After not hearing anything for 4 weeks, not even a text updating me to say that it was taking longer than expected, I popped back in to see if something might be wrong and I was told that they'd actually be ready the next day at which point they'd text me. 2 weeks later, and I still hadn't heard anything, so I pop back in again to see if maybe they forgot to text me or if I'd provided the wrong number, and told me it would be another week. This estimate was finally right, and they texted me later in the week that I could pick up my boots. This is seriously a great shop if you can be patient for them to do their work. Maybe I brought my boots in at an abnormally busy time of year, but I just wasn't expecting it to take almost two months for what seemed like a standard order, and would have appreciated them to text or call with an update at some point during the process. read more

I did my research and had a strong desire to support this business... Needed a simple (2nd) replacement of the soles on the heels of $600 Chie Mihara boots (by far the most expensive footwear I've ever owned + treated with extra TLC). **** Often have this heel sole replacement done to boots and know not to wear things down too far before bringing them in and know what to expect of the completed job **** HOWEVER, Sole Survivor DAMAGED the previously UNdamaged leather on the heels. The leather was pushed/pried up from the base of the heel (in spots, by 15mm!), even TORN in places, with no apparent attempt made to rectify the mess. The replaced soles were also indented with (chisel?) marks and were slightly different heights (by 1mm). The rubber was the hardest I've seen/felt, (but proved not particularly durable), and the damage to the leather is not something that can be repaired. The same boots had the same job done (1st time) at a place in Dufferin Mall. It was flawless AND the boots were thoroughly polished and re-laced for $16. The rubber was slightly softer and had more tread and durability. I paid $14 at Sole Survivor (no polish, no laces). These were boots I'd hoped to keep in good condition for years and years. In fact, I even mentioned this when I dropped them off and checked in with one of the women. She specifically said that because I hadn't worn the soles down too far it would be no problem-o to replace them. I don't know what happened, but it wasn't good. Pobody's nerfect, but I caution against trusting them with items of great value to you. read more

I've taken two pairs of shoes there and the first was a pair of hiking boots for a new heel, they used the wrong material and the heels wore down in a week and a half. So their idea was to put those noisy cleats on, making them slippery. Cleats on hiking boots! They also keep your shoes for three to four weeks. Next time I took in some pretty expensive Rockports shoes and they left gaps where the new heel was attached, so I left them again and when I picked them up, I noticed that they had sanded the sides of the soles taking off the outer layer of the moulded spongy soles and used nails! and there was still gaps where they attached the new heels. Extremely poor work. When I went to wear them I found that they'd also gotten blobs of glue all over the laces, so I had to replace the laces. I actually took these shoes to a well known cobbler and he took the nails out and told me that they should have replaced the entire heel, used different material and not used nails and also not sanded the outer portion of the sole. He also said that the heel is not in line with the rest of the sole and that they had removed too much material. Just about what I thought. Bottom line is; their workmanship is sloppy and heavy handed and there is a lack of care and skill. Shoe repair takes skill and patience and pride in workmanship, and it has to be done correctly, or you might as well throw them out and buy new ones. Twice is twice too many and wouldn't take anything back there. The attitude is not good when you make a complaint. I could do better myself. Other reputable places also guarantee their work. And you will pay for it as well. You get what you pay for, the cheap always comes out.... There are better places than this.... read more

Let me just start out by saying the ladies here are very nice and funny as hell. I asked them to polish a pair of boots: the work felt kinda average...I can see clearly that some places were neglected. I'm hesitant on "judging" them with this one mishap. I will go back again and see how they do. If this happens again, I'll stick with my usual cobbler. read more

Nice Place, Nice People...Average Service. My shoes (leather brogues, with leather/wood sole) were in a pretty bad way, so I wasn't expecting a miracle - but I figured it couldn't hurt having some work done to them as they fit incredibly well. The nice young lady took my shoes, said she would replace the soles, put new heel caps on, and would be able to repair some superficial cracks in the leather as they didn't go through to the lining. I told her I wasn't in a rush, and she said I could pick them up in a week. $45 - not to shabby. Long story short: They put new rubber soles on and conditioned the leather and that's it. Despite being charged for it -The repairs to the leather weren't made, the heels weren't touched. Also there was glue everywhere from where they had put the sole on. Bottom line is: if you just need to get a few extra months out of a pair of vintage boots without it costing you an arm and a leg then this place will do ya. If you are looking for an old timey service from an old timey craftsman/woman who cares about how your shoes look... you will only be disappointed. read more

Poor customer service and average work. Two phone calls in since picking up my boots to speak to Fiona, and no return call. Prices are reasonable but don't expect much. Soles they seem to do well, but fixing my baby toe poking through the leather of my "Beatle" boot (says was possible) not so much. My reason for calling had been to show her that I'd found a great resin glue to rework her original mediocre patch. The whole point here, and very important kids, is they closed the door on a client. I would have gladly paid for this service if she had been knowledgeable enough as well. Thanks girls, you know my number. I'd have considered a great review if you had taken my call and seen me to look at this now beautiful boot ;) read more

I'll make my Long Story a Short one: 1) took much longer than the "forever-away" time they quoted 2) DESTROYED my Loding shoes on a very simple job - adding a rubber sole to my shoes. 3) Attempted to repair the damage they had done - shoes picked up a few weeks later 4) I put the shoes on one time for a total of 10 minutes to go out to pick up take out food... by the time I get back the repair fell apart. 5) Second attempt to repair their mistake - "kind of" fixed it but then damaged another part of the shoe which was initially perfectly fine (and I waited forever again, called to enquire, was told they were sorry they had forgotten about my pair of shoes and will get right to it... in a few weeks) 6) I went back to Loding hoping they could work a miracle and fix what Sole Survivor had done to my shoes. The Loding people could not believe how a cobbler could mess up my shoes in the spots that were damaged - It simply did not make sense... It's like they gave them to an unsupervised apprentice who had no idea what they were doing. Loding's service is more expensive but it is more timely and they won't damage your shoes. I learned a valuable lesson that day... or should I say That Year, given how long the entire process took. I did not get a refund and lost a valuable pair of shoes. Thank you Sole Survivor! Neither I nor the friend who had referred me to you will be coming back. I'd give Negative Star review (in essence their service destroyed more value than it provided) but it is not an option. read more

I came into Sole Survivor looking to have the heels replaced on an old pair of boots, and a half sole put onto a new pair of Frye boots (leather soles = too slippery for winter!). I was so impressed by the fairness of the pricing and the excellence of the work, and will definitely be back. They are cash only, so be prepared for that. Awesome business! read more

Excellent, quick, friendly -- my boots, into which it was raining, were done two days later (the next working day!). 30$. The best in the city. Btw, they only take cash. Not so patronizing like many of the other cobblers. read more

I discovered this great shoemaker after reading Yelp reviews! What a find! Thank you! You probably know the quote: cheap good or fast, pick 2! At this place I got all 3! I dropped off my daughters high heel boots, picked them up a few hours later after lunch, (I am from out of town), the work was professional, great repair and the price so reasonable. All this with a smile! Thank you for the reviewers who thoroughly explained where it was located, in a basement, next door to Courage my love, otherwise I would have missed the place! I will definitely use this place in the future even if it means a detour for me...worth it in every way! read more

Be very careful with what you bring here. They broke heels on a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes. Brought them in to replace heel tips and after two wears, both snapped in the same place. Can't be a coincidence. Never happened before with other shoe repair places. My phone calls not returned to set this right. Spoke with another shoe repair store and they've seen this happen with inexperienced cobblers. Best to focus on shoes, not Facebook pages or opening a new location folks. Get the work right first. read more

This place gets rave reviews, which is why I tried it. I brought a few pairs of shoes for a polish and touched up. The price is okay at $10 a piece, but I've had a better polish job from the guys at Pearson airport. Nothing to write home about. A couple of the pairs of shoes came back with scuffs still on them. Looks like a super quick and dirty job. Won't be rushing back here. read more

This place is amazing! Friendly, affordable, conveniently located and very good at repairs. I've been to three cobblers in the city, and this is by far the best. read more

I believed in Sole Survivor - local, start up, good values, not wasteful expense with their storefront/property, etc. I wanted to love them. I'm sorry this is a little long but I feel I should be honest with how hard I tried to work with this company. I have brought them three pairs of boots to them in the past. Each time after picking up my shoes, I have had to return a second time because the problem I had brought to their attention was not fixed. These are fairly simple fixes too - heel worn down, heel caps, issue with the sole. The first two times I came back I was fairly happy to, as they were polite and I figured my shoes were just poorly made or something, not their fault. The third time - I have well made leather boots with good rubber soles that needed the lip repaired (the rubber has separated from the leather bottom at the tip of the shoe by about an inch, not a huge repair). I dropped them off, picked them up a week later, they predictably were not fixed/broke within a day or two, so I went back, explained my situation and they fixed them again within a week. Inconvenient, but again, not a big deal. It's been 2 months and I have not worn these boots more than a few weeks all together, and they are broken. Again. In the same spot. Where the repair didn't take. I was assured the last time I visited that the method they used would work, and I - knowing their quality isn't great - figured it was fair to estimate the repair would probably only last a single season. If I had worn them every day, they would not have lasted a month. I understand things happen, and I understand sometimes best intentions/busy-ness get in the way. But this would be the third pair of shoes, and my 4th return unsatisfied. I continued to set my bar extremely low and they still manage to slink under it. I am sorry to say, but this has been a long waste of my time and money (although I found their rates reasonable, the quality and having to go back repeatedly is a huge waste). I was assured over the phone - very politely to their credit, as always - that quality and treating customers right is their primary concern. I have not seen this reflected in their work. Go somewhere else, for the love of god, seriously. I am so disappointed. ps. I have three friends who only used sole survivor's services one, and never went back for the same reasons (had to return again almost immediately because they did not repair the shoe the first time properly). This seems to be the standard. read more