this isn't a store you can just go to during their open hours, new customers can only be seen on monday's by appointment. i've got some serious foot issues and was excited to get fitted for some new shoes only to be turned away. read more

The guy is really good will have you right don't pass him up He will fix you up you will be satisfied

Cyrus has helped given me comfort and the ability to walk after two crazy back surgeries with his excellent recommendations and customizations for shoes and insoles. Couldn't recommend more. read more

If it wasn't for Cyrus, I probably wouldn't be walking. I have been going there for decades. It's expensive but worth it. He knows his stuff and then some. I appreciate him tremendously. read more

Cyrus is the man - his services and his shoes are top-notch. For those complaining about the price, I get it, but also check your insurance and co-pays for going to the podiatrist. I've gotten better results here than with custom-made inserts and multiple doctor visits. read more

I bought very expensive shoes from Cyrus for several years that I seemed to absolutely need after nearly collapsing in exhaustion from having to stand on stone floors for almost a week while putting on a conference. Then I moved to Southern California and began seeing an accomplished bodyworker there who told me I did not need heavy shoes that held my feet rigidly in position but rather bendable shoes that would build up my glutes. The muscles in my feet would support me if I gave them a chance. I started wearing inexpensive bendy shoes, which I still do, developed my ass, and comfortably walked barefoot on tile floors all day with no issues. Needless to say, I no longer think Cyrus is the last word on feet and gait. I'm happy for you if Cyrus has helped you, but, you know, other people know things too. read more

Where could I go without my feet? Nowhere! And they are irreplaceable! Cyrus helped me find the right support for all my shoes, from tennis shoes to high heeled dance shoes, and now I have happy feet. read more

cyrus knows so much about feet and problems with them.....and i have problem feet! he's amazing with his patience and determination to have this customer understand everything he's saying. it does get confusing when you have multiple problems with your feet. am grateful li found the next step and cyrus at its helm. my foot troubles will soon be taken care of with the proper orthotics. looking forward to walking without pain. thank you, cyrus! read more

So helpful. I've had orthotics since I was 8, and a variety of podiatrists to make them. Cyrus is the best yet. Two friends referred me to him, and they were right. Clear explanations, appropriate concern about my budget (he doesn't take insurance, you can seek your own reimbursement) and careful analysis of my gait... made me confident that this is the start of real help for the structural issues my feet have. Absolutely recommend. read more

We've been driving 45 minutes twice a year to see Cyrus for the last 4 years! He's been so great in helping with our daughter's gait. He's a wizard at what he does and super friendly. Much appreciated! read more

Cyrus was GREAT! I was concerned about a lack of stability in my ankles so I scheduled a consultation. Cyrus saw me, identified the issue, told me exactly what I needed and also told me I wouldn't need his services. He then only charged me a fraction of the price of the consultation. Overall, he was knowledgeable, happy to help and provided a lot of value to me while being honest enough to admit that I wouldn't need his future services. read more

It's hillarious - the owner, Cyrus Ganjian, thinks himself to be a doctor!....he's nothing but a USED CAR SALESMAN. Also, beware of glowing reviews of people who have only reviewed 1 business. Don't go to this store for the following reasons: 1. Cyrus Ganjian is a con-man salesman who only cares about selling you a pair of ultra-high priced shoes starting at $250. He refuses to help you unless you have a pair of his approved shoes. 2. He will "diagnose" your problem in a split second and give you orthodics for this (mind you, his diagnosis for me was contrary to what my specialist said - I would think giving you the wrong orthodics might cause further damage?) 3. He will make you wait a really long time (i.e., 45 minutes to an hour) to get his Top Grade diagnosis 4. He got really snooty with me for not bringing in my referral from my doctor - does he think he's a doctor himself?! Last I checked, he operates a shoe store, he doesn't have an "M.D" after his name, and I didn't think I needed a referral to get inserts put in my shoes. 4. He kicked me out of his store and refused to help me because I didn't believe his "diagnosis". There are a lot of other really great places to go without the wait, price, refusal to help and attitude. Spread the word. read more

Cyrus helped me to get replicas of my ancient, but trusted orthotics. He convinced the lab to do this one off job, rushed the orthotics out, checked in on progress and fitted them for me once they came back. I only paid the lab and he refused to take anything for all his work. A big thank you - fantastic service! read more

This is not your regular shoe store-this is a store for people with actual foot problems that are referred by their doctor, chiropractor, podiatrist, etc. Cyrus (the owner and bio-mechanist) will take his time with you and recommend and adjust shoes based on your prescription and by watching you walk. The shoes are not always stylish or pretty and you should prepare to wait anywhere from 1/2hour to 1 hour most days, but in doing so, your feet and body will be very happy you did. He will do a private appointment (for a fee) if you don't want to wait and he is the only one who does what he does. Plan on paying for good shoes and great service. read more

People come from all over the state to get shoes that FIT. I was recently having a painful foot condition (metatarsal arches have fallen) Cyrus watched me walk and fitted new shoes with supports and buildups, and as a result I can hike again. For those of you who don't "get" what Cyrus is about............all the pity. He is so busy that he doesn't have time to coddle or baby. read more

Cyrus was totally accommodating from the moment I walked in his store. I'm really glad I found someone who could take care of my knee, foot and Achilles tendon pain! If you have any if those problems, have someone like him observe the way you walk. It could cause lasting damage if you don't take care of your pain immediately. After trying a few different inserts, we found one that worked. And boy do I feel better!!! Cyrus doesn't claim to be a doctor or medical practitioner. He actually referred me to go see one. But I trust his judgement and am sticking to him. I'm amazed at how patient he is with all the complain-y people like me who come in & out of his shop every day! He is a godsend. read more

Have been referred by my chiropractor and podiatrist for years. Tried to go in the past and the wait to been seen was over an hour. I saw some guy wearing shoes I like last week and asked where they were from and this was the third referral so I thought it was time to return. The gentleman suggested getting there before they opened so I arrived 1/2 early and there was already someone in line who had been there for hours! After he opened I was seen within 10 minutes - Cyrus asked a few questions and watched me walk and then said there were 3 shoes in the whole place that would work for me. I tried them on and bought the two that were in stock and the others arrive later in the week. I do really well with stiff sturdy shoes and these fit the bill. There weren't cheap but not having foot pain is worth a lot. They were about $120 pair and compared to some of the other prices I think I got off cheap. read more

Cyrus, and his helpers are attentive, educated shoe salesmen. They aren't selling shoes for style or for street cred, they are selling shoes for folks with a need for tuned, modified and adjusted footwear that will help them with pain, range of motion and the like. They are busy, they don't work for free, and they aren't fond of attitude (don't expect to be treated like a prince or princess here), but, they are also attentive, knowledgeable, and willing to work with you to find a shoe / insert / modification that will work for you. I didn't find the cost outrageous, good shoes cost money, but if you've been buying shoes off the rack at Payless Shoes, you may be in for a shock. read more

I walked in to The Next Step with my new lower-ankle orthotic brace, an uncomfortable gait, and no shoes that fit, having been mis-fit by some folks at The Walking Company with shoes that turn out to be inappropriate for my needs. Cyrus was SO incredibly helpful (and kind) in bursting my bubble about the possibility that I'd get to wear anything "cute" at this point, and putting me in to three pairs of shoes that properly accommodate my brace, allow me to walk and stand in comfort, and will allow me to heal properly so that I can get back to all those beautiful Fleuvogs. I'm sad about the "Cyrus is a jerk" reviews -- I found him to be extremely knowledgable and professional, and actually pretty funny -- while also trying to deal efficiently with the four simultaneous customers vying for his attention and expertise. (And, I'd like to add: he specifically gave me "more expensive/less expensive" options, and DISCOURAGED me from the more expensive choices at this stage.) I am deeply grateful to Cyrus and The Next Step - he's a fantastic resource! read more

I was referred to Cyrus like many others by my chiropractor. I had some arch and alignment issues that were causing knee pain. I hadn't been able to run in about a year or do any heavy duty exercise. I made a 1:1 appointment with him for a Monday morning and got a full hour of his undivided attention. I highly recommend doing this for your first visit so there are no distractions. He watched me walk, wanted to know why I was there, wanted my history and asked that I bring all my shoes (or at least as many as possible) that I wear on a daily basis. He recommended which shoes I should continue to wear (that he modified with orthotics/inserts) and which were no good and I should likely stop wearing. It was a rough rude awakening but I tell you that he could not have been more honest, open, nice and professional. He isn't a doctor and he doesn't claim to be...but as my chiro put it, he knows feet, knows shoes and therefore knows what he's doing with regards to his job. I saw him in July for the first time and followed all his instructions for a month. It's important to note that I was told to wear only tennis shoes for a month with my inserts...tough stuff when you're a girl! He was strict but he was right...about 2 months later I was able to complete a run/walk 5k -- keep in mind I went from doing half marathons, boot camp, bar method, zumba to ZERO b/c of this knee pain. So to be able to run/walk a 5k was HUGE. I have continued to go back to Cyrus and his crew for more shoes, orthotics and inserts. He's really honest, but he's also really nice and he understands that it's not always an easy process. I don't really agree with the poor reviews on his attitude at all. My husband and I will continue to go back and we're both so happy we have somewhere to go where they truly understand feet & shoes. read more

I've read all the reviews, and need to add my perspective. I started going to Cyrus about four years back, with feet in terrible shape (and I work on my feet, often for long, long days). He is not a perfect human being, but under the circumstances, he is patient, and attentive. His recommendations have mostly worked really well--I no longer have foot pain, and I have comfortable shoes. The shoes are expensive, but I can't seem to find anywhere else where the same shoes are less. My biggest problem is that I rely on him. He's not good at explaining exactly what to look for in shoes if I go elsewhere, and I've bungled it so badly, when I've tried, that I just keep going back to him. I have to say that when you have ONE person only who can fit your shoes, you sometimes have to wait, and sometimes don't get full attention. But the up-side is that I am not in pain. And that's a big up-side! read more

I was referred to this place by my podiatrist and happened to bring in my referral slip. (I didn't realize until looking at this Yelp page that I would have gotten thrown out if I didn't bring it with me, so I'm lucky I brought it along.) I had been having recurring pain in my toe joint for months that was preventing me from running regularly. The head guy there sold me a pair of new running shoes and orthotics for what I thought was a reasonable price. Two weeks later, I ran a half-marathon pain-free. I think I'll be coming back. read more

Don't understand the complaints. I was referred by my podiatrist. When I got there they had2 other customers. They still got to me in 5 minutes. Got the shoes my Dr. wanted plus insoles for a price as good as I could have gotten at Amazon. Everyone was nice and professional. Good service, good price - what more do you want ? read more

Cyrus and The Next Step have improved my life by helping me walk and play without "my aching feet"....Incredible! I will be forever grateful Thanks Coleen read more

Cyrus was the next step for me in my road to healing. After visiting with Rueben Ziegler the chiropractor, my feet needed some assistance. They ached constantly. With a recommendation by the acupuncturist, I visited Cyrus. My feet needed to be in special sports style shoe for several months before I could wear sandals and some shoes with style. On Saturday, i was on my feet working for over 10 hours with only minor aches. Could not have done that job 2 years ago before working with Cyrus. I now have a nice combination of stylish and supportive shoes. Oh and by the way, my size is hard to fit and he always has options. Bring your credit card, as good shoes are pricey [actually so are fashionable] read more

I'm having a good laugh at all the folks who think Cyrus is rude. First off, Cyrus is a miracle on feet. His reputation is deep and broad in the region. His knowledge, wherever it comes from, qualifies him, if not as a Doctor, as a Shaman of the first order. Disrespect him if you wish. Dismiss him if you want. It is on you. You are the loser in this equation. If your feet hurt still, it would be good to swallow your pride, go back with humility, and let the man do his work. And second, Cyrus is one of the most sincere and deepest spirits around. I think highly of him professionally and personally. If you can not see it for yourself, I feel sad for you and wish you improved vision. read more

You may have to look carefully for this business because it is small and a bit hard to find, but it is worth the search. I went to this store because it was recommended by my podiatrist. She told me that a possible solution to my problem would be a pair of shoes that were designed in a way to give my arch more support and provide me with relief. I went to The Next Step and told the about my problem. The owner was extremely knowledgeable and ready to serve my needs with a very professional and upbeat approach to helping me. There was a very good selection of quality shoes matched by quality service that provided me with the ultimate solution to my problem. What is great is that my problem was solved without a lot of medical intervention--just a pair of shoes! I have been back a couple of times for other much needed items and have found the level of level of service and expertise top notch. read more

This is the best place to buy shoes for people who really need help healing their feet. I am a doctor myself. I trust him completely. I am completely shocked by the negative reviews i just read on this site. Honestly, Cyrus is the BEST! Cyrus (the owner and bio-mechanist) will take his time with you and recommend and adjust shoes based on your prescription and by watching you walk. The shoes are not always pretty and you should prepare to wait anywhere from 1/2hour to 1 hour on weekend days, but in doing so, your feet and body will be very happy you did. Now that my feet are much better than they were, I'm able to fit into some of the cuter model of shoes. You can not find these shoes on line. I have been a customer here for over 5 years. Before seeing him I suffered from severe pain that limited my activity. I spent a lot of money on shoes and went to other stores that were well recommended but the sales people knew very little about feet or bio-mechanics. I thank him for being able to walk, hike and dance again read more

I can't say enough about Cyrus and his team. If you have bad feet (so many do) Cyrus has the extensive experience and skill to get you into the shoe you need. Kaiser Oakland Podiatry Dept (supposedly the best at Kaiser) recommends him as do many other orthopedists, podiatrists, PT's and Osteopaths. I have purchased 6 pairs of MBT's (that's all I can wear) over three years and just hope that I never have to move! Return policy is a tad strict but he is flexible if you call him. read more

My wife recommended The Next Step to me, and I am thankful she did. Cyrus, the owner and operator, is great. He is friendly, knowledgable, and always quick to come up with the perfect shoe for me. I don't just mean a shoe in a style I like, but one that is the most comfortable and taylored to my particular problems. I pronate and came in with a bruised sesimoid (a small bone under the big toe). He figured out the problem and rigged a shoe that helped a lot. I walked out of the shop pain free!! Go there. Meet Cyrus, and see what I mean. read more

I made my first visit to Cyrus last year, before our trans Atlantic cruise. My chiropractor had been urging me to see him for years, but spoiled by a lifetime of good health it took me too long to go in. I walked in and the place was crowded. Cyrus suggested I come back in the late afternoon when it was likely to be slower. He suggested I bring all my shoes so he could look at them and see what could be done w/ them. Now, unlike Miz Tam, I'm not a shoe person, but over time I'd accumulated a couple of old pair of Mephistos, one of which which I'd had refurbished at least one time past its useful life, a pair of Eccos, two pair of new Mephistos and I forget what else. So I returned about 5:00, think, w/ all my shoes in a big bag. One by one, Cyrus looked at them and rejected them as not offering enough support for me. He encouraged me to see a podiatrist he thought well of at Kaiser Richmond and then suggested two pairs of shoes, one an oxford style, the other a surprisingly attractive sandal. I bought both and took them on my trip and my feet felt better than they had in years. I returned to the store to thank him after I got home. Then I (finally) saw the podiatrist, who said there wasn't a lot to be done beyond what Cyrus had done and gave me a prescription form to take to Cyrus so he could adapt my shoes a little. And, characteristically, it took me months to make my way back. We're leaving for Williamsburg on Saturday, so I needed to be able to walk more comfortably. I arrived maybe 10:15. There was one other customer in the store. Cyrus finished w/ her, then turned his attention to me. I brought in both my pairs of shoes. The sandals have not been as comfortable as the others, so he had his assistant put some cushioning near the toes where it had been uncomfortable. We'll see over time whether it helps. I told him I wanted another pair of shoes or two. He pulled out a couple of sandals and a slip-on. I liked the look of the sandals, not so much the slip-on, so he brought out another lace-up. He had to order another size for me to try, but both sandals fit and I'm wearing one pair now. I bought both. Cyrus is gracious, charming, patient and knowledgeable. I'm so glad he's here as a resource for those of us who are sore of foot. He asked after my granddaughter and Miz Tam and was pleased to hear they were doing well. read more

An arrogant and disrespectful diva personality does not belong in any products or service industry. Cyrus may be very bright and competent. In fact, he may be a miracle worker to some. But please don't automatically count on being one of them. Cyrus is not a physician and I find it highly suspect and frankly unethical that he diagnoses conditions in direct contradiction to those made by professionals qualified to do so. And he does it in a split second, with no comprehensive testing, as a means of selling high priced shoes even before he will consider fitting an orthotic. Ah, kind listeners, this is just a taste of what you will find at The Next Step. My daughter and I arrived on a mid-week afternoon after receiving a verbal referral and a photocopy of Cyrus' business location. My daughter picked up on a very peculiar vibe but I naively suggested that, if Cyrus was truly the miracle worker that people claimed he is, dealing with a little unhealthy atmosphere was a decent tradeoff. The store is completely disorganized with entirely too much scurrying going on. We were told that it would be a 45-minute wait, our name was taken, and we left to return promptly after the necessary 45 minutes, only to learn that others had been taken ahead of us. Is this by appointment only, or not? Cyrus was, at this time, bouncing from customer to customer. Eventually he came to us exclaiming, "Where is your referral slip?" much like the monitor demanding a hall pass in grade school. When we explained that we did not have one, but were referred directly by a physical therapist, there was some rather unpleasant chastising, accompanied by one customer laughing at us. We tried to explain the referral and the reason for the visit, but were met with very dismissive behavior from Cyrus, accompanied by unwelcome comments from some of the customers. He touched my daughter's sole and promptly pronounced that her problem was plantar fasciitis, contrary to her existing diagnosis supported by extensive testing and evaluation by a very highly regarded specialist with whom I have had a great deal of experience and therefore know his qualifications. The only solution would be new shoes and orthotics. We tried to explain to Cyrus that the physical therapist suggested a full length orthotic to be fitted into my daughter's existing shoe. Cyrus scoffed at this and went to help another customer. After awhile, he returned with a rough, "What do you want me to do?" The short version of what followed was that, despite the fact that he found it contraindicated, he would put an orthotic into the existing shoe. What kind of professional can ethically offer to treat a person in a manner that he believes either ineffective or harmful? Would it not be the proper thing to do to simply say, "I'm sorry but I cannot help you." In retrospect, I believe this was nothing more than a rather thinly veiled way to sell his high-priced shoes. Please don't consider that this is your only option if you are experiencing foot problems. read more

I'd never been inside this store before, but had passed it on multiple occasions. I walked in today and patiently waited to speak to the one person working there. He spoke with two other customers for some time, about 15-20 minutes. When he finally addressed me he told me that this store is by referral from a doctor only, or you have to make an evaluation appointment (on Mondays only). I was frustrated because that information wasn't posted anywhere. I mentioned that to him and he said, "Yeah, it's not posted because we don't advertise. We're by referral only." I said, but if I had been able to read that somewhere while waiting it would've saved me time and frustration to which he replied "Give me a break." Walk-ins, beware. read more

I went to Cyrus for a consultation to help with my Plantar fasciitis. After watching me walk he quickly diagnosed a simple version of it and suggested that since I had health insurance that I should see a podiatrist through my plan. After that he offered no more advice. No recommendations of podiatrists or shoes to wear. I felt that he was finished with me within 15 minutes. I extend the conversation with questions to about half an hour, as in my head I was shocked that I had agreed to pay $100 for what was essentially a quick, limited evaluation. I would not recommend him. read more

RUDE! RUDE! RUDE!!!.... Selectively Responsive... I Was looking forward to going here because I need some new non-custom orthodics... A friend and I walked in and looked around this tiny store for 5 minutes and not so much of a peep from the main sales rep (I assume Cyrus) and the 2 young guys. There was 1 customer in a chair. There was no Hello, we'll be with you soon, Nothing! So, I asked, "Excuse me, who works here?". He replied, "We Do..., but we are busy so go have a seat." Mind you there were 3 workers and 1 customer. Maybe I didnt look like I was going to buy something or maybe I didnt look like I could afford anything in the store to him...because be TOTALLY disregarded us...and when I said something... I received a Rude response. The tone said it all. The other customer even gestured that he was sorry... as if him being helped caused such Rudeness of justified the lack of professionalism. There are certainly other shoe stores in Berkeley & Claremont...so I guess I'll be patronizing other stores where I can at least be greeted and not ignored, then offended... ***This visit was 10/2013*** read more

No Stars!!! Dr. Binning from Kaiser sent me to see Cyrus, but I can't because its all the way in Albany. I called and so so politely I asked if he could reccommend a place in San Francisco that I could go to and he said" No, sorry, I can't help you". And then proceeded to hang up on me. I am in customer service and I have been for 10 years. I really wish he could have helped me. Shame on him. read more

This is not a shoe store. I walked in and was gruffly told that it's an orthopedic store, that you have to have an appointment, consult required for $100 on Mondays only and then he picked up the phone and started talking to someone else. I couldn't even ask a question. I was looking to find somewhere to get shoes fitted or made for my difficult feet. But I gather this guy has too many customers and doesn't want to bother with any more. read more

I'm updating this review because I have been now a customer of Cyrus's for four or five years and still very happy with the service I have received. I can't really buy shoes anywhere else, being that I am now a size 12 women's and that's pretty hard to find, in addition to my other problems. I still maintain that he does a great job, he is the only one around that does this type of work. and he and his store are a real blessing to me. I don't know what I would do with out The Next Step. read more

You can't just walk in and try on shoes, the owner (I think he is the owner) asks for your "prescription" from your podiatrist. He sells shoes, shoes I've found in other stores. You don't need a prescription and legally he can't request one. But my podiatrist says this guy gets all snotty and might not wait on you if you don't bring one in. So I brought in my prescription and tried on several pairs of shoes. I told him I had planter fascitis and he was suggesting shoes that didn't even have backs to them, e.g., clogs. And he was suggesting shoes that didn't have a slight heel, which is important for people with this condition. Finally, I found a shoe that worked and tried on several sizes. They even measured my foot to make sure we started with the size of my foot (size 10). I bought the 10W shoe. When I got home I didn't wear these shoes immediately. But I went to wear them a couple of weeks later and it appears they put the wrong size in my bag. Now the guy insists they only thing he can do to help me is to try and order the pair from the warehouse. However he informed me this was a style no longer being made. I would stay away from this store. read more

Cyrus is a genius. He absolutely knew what I needed for my very flat feet. After walking with the new orthodics he made -- in the shoes he recommended, I can finally walk without pain in my feet. I agree with what others have said: Cyrus and his helpers aren't selling shoes for style. They are in the business of helping people find shoes for freedom from pain. So, if you go there, be sure to treat them with the respect they deserve. read more