John Fluevog

Amazing boots as usual from Fluevog. the staff was extremely nice and helpful and gave me several recommendations and tips for maintain my boots! Got a nice pair for like 80 dollars off.

Love the shoes. i own 3 pair now. But I was not happy with the service. I wanted a pair of boots that they didn’t have in the store. The saleswoman, Beca, was overly pushy to get me to buy the wrong size (that she would order) after I insisted I knew my exact shoe size and experience from wearing Fluevogs. When she ordered the size she suggested and the boot didn’t fit she tried to get me to take them anyway. I had to put up a fuss. Not a great experience.

Obviously the shoes are incredible. But so is the service. I came in out of the pouring rain and the staff insisted on taking my shoes and socks and trying to dry them out. I tried on a ton of shoes and each one was lovingly evaluated for fit. In short, super nice and helpful but not pushy

I’ve been looking around for a new pair of boots and decided I was willing to spend around $ 300 dollars on a really nice pair. After doing some research and checking out their different styles as well as their business practices, I was absolutely sold on getting a pair from Fluevog. I’m in love with their Jett boot and Catherine flats. I went into the store a few days ago with my boyfriend, who came along to try things on in order to find out his true shoe size so he could order online from a different brand.
I really want to give the shop 5 stars – it was well-​arranged, beautiful, comfortable, good vibes… but the experience made me extremely anxious, too anxious to go back.
My boyfriend and I were both trying things on, and immediately after, both salespeople began doting on him quite aggressively, asking him to try on shoes so they could see how they look with his pants, etc., pitching him many other styles in the store, sharing personal stories, and I literally couldn’t get a word in edgewise.
Now, I’m an assertive woman. I am not timid. But I didn’t get a chance to try on three other pairs of shoes that I would have been ready to buy, then and there, because the saleswomen were too busy flirting with my boyfriend – really, I mean, he was asked to «come back and flirt again.» Anything I said was either ignored or spoken over. We left, him feeling flustered and frustrated, and me almost having a panic attack.
I would love to go back and try on those shoes, but I’m far too anxious, silly as it may be. Something salespeople should do is make their customers feel like they want to buy something, not like they want to crawl into a hole for a year. I was not even spoken to once they started doting on him, about 20 minutes.
So, as far as the actual shoes go: 5 stars, A+, incredible quality and very comfortable. And, probably, if you go to the Boston store, you won’t have as bad an experience as I did. But it’s hard for me to let go of how I was treated that night.

I’ve been a fan since they opened their Toronto store in 1989, when they also introduced me to Dr. Martens. I wore a great pair of suede ankle boots (Fluevog) for over 20 years. I fell in love with the Venus pumps online (love dragons), emailed the Boston store to see if they were in stock, got an immediate response from Johnny, and went in the next day. Although Venus and I were not meant to be (my hobbit feet and lack of grace are my nemesis), I fell in love with the gold Mariellas (on sale!).
I’ve since returned as many times as my wallet allows, and the staff I’ve dealt with there (Chantelle, Rachel and Amanda) are consistently very helpful, patient, enthusiastic and fun to deal with. They know their product, and will work with you to find the shoe and fit that works best for you. They personify «Unique Soles for Unique Souls.»

I’ve had this swirl shoe, I even had them resoled. After those got damaged in the flood, I got the like 20 hole flame Angel Vogs. These boots are, by far, hands down, not a question in my soul, the BEST, most comfortable boots I’ve ever owned. I’ve worn them hard for a decade.
I’m a performer and artist in New Orleans and they’ll stay on my feet all day, cradling my feet, ankles, and lower calfs in soft, snug love.
My only problem now, is that I need them repaired and I can’t find anyone to do it. That makes me sad.
So, even with that negative note, I still have NO problem giving John Fluevog’s footwear 5 stars. Even if I can’t get my boots fixed, I know that if I give them a bunch of money, the product delivered will be surrounded by a choir of angels. That makes me happy.

My first purchase from these guys was 25 years ago in college. My most recent one is definitely a winner!
You gotta love a shoe store that still resoles shoes!

Awesome store. Went on a Saturday afternoon — the store isn’t big, but it’s set up in a circular fashion with seats in the middle and shoes all around. The sales ladies were great — really cool, nice, and helpful. In that way, also quite good at selling — definitely want to buy when you like the sales person.
The shoes were all really cool — unique with definite personality. Check them out online first, but if interested, definitely check it out!

I’m a fluevog addict. My husband is a fluevog addict. I have flat feet with a narrow heel and half sizes are important to me. My husband has narrow feet with an arch. It doesn’t matter because we can both shop here. These shoes are stylish beautiful, unique, inspiring and comfortable! I’m on my fifth pair in one month… I realized I have been deprived and I’m trying to catch up ;-)

If I’m going to drop serious money on shoes, they need to be comfortable, well made and attractive. Fluevog shoes are all of these. They’ll even stretch them for my wide feet! Gorgeous designs, unique heels, cool shoes for men, heels for the opera or boots for slogging through New England winters. If you’re at the Newbury location, ask for Rachel– she’s incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and infinitely patient. Decided to splurge on 2 new pairs of boots today, and I’m so glad I did! Definitely worth a visit.

So happy to have finally gone to a Fluevog store. I have been coveting a pair Vogs for years but understood the weird sizing was a problem. Boy, was it ever weird. I tried on countless pairs of shoes and boots, looking for just the right pair. The staff here is patient and kind, traipsing out with every new one I wanted to try with nary a smirk or eye roll. Surrounded by boxes, it was tough to decide so I bought two pair! Wow for me! Thank you Boston store, for helping make this experience so much fun. I LOVE my shoes. Fleuvog is the best store on Newbury St.

The sales associates here are lovely! When I couldn’t zip up a pair of boots, rather than directing me to another pair, she mentioned that the store stretched them for free with purchase. Fluevogs are pricey, but they really hold their value and can often be resold for almost as much as you got them for on ebay. They last forever and are hella comfy. Most importantly, the sales associates are super nice and will treat you like a VIP, whether you’ve got store credit to spend (which I did) or if you’re there to try things on and clearly have no intention to spend any money (my friend wanted in on all the fun but didn’t want to buy anything). I’d happily visit this location again!

Favorite shoes ever, they ship to my home for $ 12 and it makes travelling easy while I can still get my favorite shoes. They don’t have a shop in Miami, so this is one of my go-​to locations. The service and employees are always great.

With tax refund in metaphorical hand, I was ready to invest in a quality pair of footwear that would last me ages. On the recommendation of the lovely and stylish Christopher M., I strode over to John Fluevogs on Newbury Street after work one day and announced my intentions. The store was empty except for me and several sales people but they sprang into action to help me in my quest. I was looking for flat tall black boots, something that could be dressy enough to wear to work but transition well to going out in the evening.
Rachel, who was incredibly warm and friendly and easygoing throughout my entire shopping experience, immediately pulled out for me four or five different styles in a variety of sizes, as each boot style fits slightly differently because they are all handmade. She gave me good tips on how each style will fit as they are worn over time, and taught me how to use a boot horn (!). I must’ve been there for over an hour trying on boots and walking around in them, trying to figure out which I preferred. I wondered aloud how they would look in a skirt and she whipped out a floral wraparound skirt and tied it around me to give me an idea. Wonder how it would look with a different cut of jeans? She had a swatch of denim that can button around your calf to different lengths and styles so you can visualize what your boots would look like. This blew. My. Mind.
Last but not least, she never pushed me to make a purchase, or tried to push the more expensive styles on me. As other shoppers wandering in while I was trying on boots, they were always greeted with a friendly «hello!» and left with a «thanks, see you soon!» Another young woman walked in who was clearly a regular as the staff greeted her like a long lost friend. I want to be friends with this store! Be my friend!
PS– I ended up with the Adrian Agnes boots and I love ‘em to death. I’ve been slowly breaking them in over the last couple of weeks and I can already feel the leather softening up into something beautiful — as if they weren’t already. I’m already saving up the money for another pair of Fluevogs!

Okay… so I wasn’t even really a customer and I had an AWESOME customer experience.
Two of my best friends love Fluevog. I can’t say it’s exactly my own personal style… but I’m weird. I went in to the Newb St store last night with friend #1 because he had to return a pair that didn’t fit him. We walked in, and they ALL knew his name (…and later when we mentioned friend #2, they totally knew who we were talking about, too). There were 3 people working, and they were all super cool, friendly and helpful. I got a STRONG impression that I would REALLY love to me a regular customer there. The store is cool, too… it’s got a funky-​antique feel to it.
We ended up hanging out a little there, and it was super cool. Not snooty at all like many of Newb St stores.
Check it out.

I’ve been shopping at this location since 1992. It’s down in the basement (external stairs, no elevator) and descending the steps into this shoe haven feels like visiting somewhere from a different place and time. I think the very best Fluevogs have always been my prototype for what is now known as steampunk: big-​top stripes, gnarled and curlicued shapes, metals and offbeat leather.
It is no surprise, then, that I came here to look for a pair of Something Awesome when I was going on a special adventure in July. My outfit was a gold stretch-​lamé tunic, and I really wanted a complementary footwear solution. Ali helped me to leave with a pair of limited-​edition gold Angel boots (the 40^th anniversary metallic ones); I thought I needed a size way bigger than I did. Ali took this old tong/​pincer/​magic tool and softened the leather at the heel, and across the bridge, just so I could wear them out of the store (and on a walking-​centric adventure through NYC the next day). She must have worked on those boots for half an hour. I even came back after lunch and asked her to work on a trouble spot again, and she was like, No Problem. As a result, I had just the right boots for The Book of Mormon. The job she did on the leather definitely helped.
Though there was a time in my life when I owned an Imelda-​emulating quantity of shoes, I now own just six pairs. These gold boots are one of those pairs. Footwear has to be not only gorgeous, comfortable, and durable, but also a little fanciful, in order to make it into my collection. Fluevogs are a good bet. I could have these boots for a long-​ass time, because not only are they just durable off the bat, but you can have them resoled for about $ 60. Since one pair of gold Angel boots cost me over $ 200, I can get behind the sixty-​buck logic of new soles someday.
One thing that’s different now is how there are far fewer colors available than I remember in the past. I suggest checking them out online before you head into the store, because there is a good chance that they will be out of what you seek, if there’s a sale on, or if it’s a desired pattern, or rarer. They can special-​order, but it’s easier if you already have a sense of what model you want. Don’t buy Fluevogs online; you want the expert fitting and fussing and fiddling the staff offers. Believe me. Ali (sorry if I misspelled your name!) got me to try on stuff that I would uncategorically never have tried on of my own volition — stuff that ended up being more comfortable and beautiful on me than I ever could have imagined flying solo.
I’m really happy with my new boots, and with the physical labor Ali did to make it possible for me to bring them home, as well as with the savvy it took to make good shoe choices. Yet despite the fact that I was shopping in the unisex section and was very open and specific about the fact that I was looking for a less-​unigendered shoe, I got a lot of gendered language and suggestions based on my perceived gender identity (and so did my partner) and expression, so if you’re a gender-​variant person, or just a person who tires of overly-​gendered language, you might want to keep that in mind.
And oh, yes — don’t wear your Fluevogs out of the store unless you are SURE to the 1000^th percentile that you want them. Because if you wear them out the door, you can’t bring them back!

Ali is my «Fluevogologist» and she spoils me rotten. Even if I have something in mind, I know Ali will pull something out in my size that I’ll love so much, I absolutely cannot walk out of the store without them. Despite the craziness that was today with Fluevog day, she was so attentive as I sat my butt down and proceeded to try on a bajillion shoes, all of her suggestion (as per my request – Bring me the most awesome shoes in a 9 I declared). I might’ve been a giant pain in the ass, but I have great faith in Ali and we’ve always nailed the PERFECT pair for me.
A brief description and she’s off, knowing exactly what to pull out from the back to make choosing quite difficult. My first time in, not even intending to buy anything, I walked out with a pair of gold heeled Melrose (the last pair in the store of course – sign from the heavens, these were to be mine).
I did order my next pair online, but to be completely honest, I prefer going into the store. They’re shipped out to this area from there and all of the staff are just so helpful. It’s really not much effort to go to Newbury St (oh drat, you’re making me go shopping outside?! Where there are people? How terrible!).
Yes, these shoes are not cheap, price wise nor quality wise. These shoes will last you forever with good care. They are an investment, and with your feet, a very precious asset indeed, there is no need to scrimp on quality or sacrifice comfort for fashion. They make comfortable, adorable, sexy, unique shoes that are worth every penny you spend. And they have the most amazing selection of men’s shoes I’ve seen. A man in Fluevogs can steal my heart away!
So Ali, I thank you. You are my enabler and shoe temptress, a siren in heels.

So I haven’t had the fortune to step into this place for a few years but this past month I purchased a pair of the PRI boots in purple. It was easily the best Christmas present to myself. Although the process started back in November because I was just informed of their layaway plan thanks to a friend. Black Friday weekend she offered to put money down for me on them because I was stuck at work.
I returned about a week later to see them in person and was acquainted with the JV crew. Ali helped me out with them but I discovered that my massive hulking calves weren’t going to fit. :(*proceeded to cry bacon grease* But Ali assured me that not only does John have a tendency to make the calves small on his boots but they CAN be stretched. She also showed me a few other styles that I enjoyed but I still had my heart set on those tall distressed purple boots. She reccommended coming back in a skirt because my jeans were really thick but painted on.
I came back on my next free day and was helped by Pete. He helped me get my massive calves into those boots. One thing I really appreciated about Pete was he was quite practical and not the slightest bit sharky. In fact, he talked me out of paying them off right then and there until after my reviews at school. Massart Alumni know what’s up.
So I came back the following weekend after getting paid and school was finished to finalize the sale and start the stretching process which took a little under a week. The soft distressed leather stretched quite easily and they fit perfectly afterwards. I was also later helped out weather proofing them and given advice on general care. I could also change the soles out on an older pair of heels I had. Just overall amazing customer service!
Although now every time I come in, I’m tempted into buying more shoes. The first pair is apparently the gateway. It’s a slippery slope from there. EVIL EVIL STORE WITH SHOE TEMPTRESSES! I NEED MY MONEY FOR RENT! NOOOOOO! D:

My quest for boots started at Zapatos on Albany Street, about a hundred and eighty degrees from Fluevog. Urban Outfitters had a nice pair of boots but they didn’t have the «it’s gotta grab me pull» I was looking for. I went into Thom or whatever it is beside Sonsie, didn’t have my size. Even if they had, probably wouldn’t have jumped. Went into Walker’s. Cowboy boots?! They even looked used, and the girl who came out from the back seemed like she had been crying or enduring torture.
So anyway, I’m starting to get tired of looking for boots when I stumbled into Fluevog. Men’s on the right. I slipped over to the display without being accosted. Looked at a couple pairs of boots [gulp], with these price tags I better really like if I’m gonna buy. I figure I’m off the hook.
Then I spot what look like steampunk bowling shoes, black leather with a carbon fiber-​like texture and orange stitching, reeking of quality and just screaming at me. One is wing-​tip, the other cap toe. Outlandishly freakish with a conservative tone. It’s like these shoes are calling my name.
Ms. Kilcollins notices my instant infatuation and asks if she can get me started by bringing out a couple of pairs to try on. Hell yeah. These shoes are less than half of some of the boots I was looking at. A bargain! The first pair I try on are perfect. This is awesome! I’m wearing these babies out the door. Almost jumping up and down they’re so cool.
Forget about acting my age. This place rocks.

Warning. This review contains endnotes. Sort of. It also contains swears, but only for emphasis. Guard your eyes, if you are sensitive to either of these things.
It is also a long review, So here is the nutshell: I bought the most amazing boots of all time ever at the Fluevog in Boston. People stop me on the street to ask about them. They suit me and make me happy.
Buying them was an EXCELLENT experience. And takes a while to tell about.
If you want to read, let’s begin.
***
I did not really believe in retail therapy until last weekend. And no, finding the boots of my dreams,* did not actually mend my poor broken heart.** Though it is totally mending!
But my entire Fluevog Experience™, from greeting to purchase, certainly helped. Like, a lot.
I fully expected to try on a few things and get myself some sort of spendy shoe-​present that I could walk around NYC and feel all kinds of sexy in. I also expected to do this fairly quickly.
And so I learned a major Fluevog thing: A Vog purchase is an investment in both shoe leather and you, and decisions such as these are not meant to be made lightly. If you have intentions of rushing through this, don’t. Push back your drinks date and get comfy.
I started shopping with one person. Then more friends showed up and it turned into something of a party. The Vog-​ians (Vogers? help me out here) let us try on everything. Like seriously, more than half the store. They were helpful, cheerful, friendly, encouraging, and HONEST about what was working and what might not have been the best footwear choice.
Here is another Fluevog thing I learned: Trust the Staff. They know fit and they know fashion and they fucking rock.
At the very last minute, while I was debating between two very lovely boot choices, our awesome and eagle-​eyed sales associate spotted a boot I’d pulled and hadn’t tried yet. She brought a pair out for me, I put them on, and that was that. These boots make me feel like the Ultimate Me.
This brings us to our penultimate Fluevog thing: Love the Staff! They really are keeping an eye out for you. Seriously, they are so on top of stuff that even if you get overwhelmed by the options, they will recall what you are after.
To sum up this very long review, we all had an excellent time.
Several people bought Incredible Sexy Shoes.
I now own the Boots That Dreams Are Made of and That May (though I won’t swear to it) Be Making Me Feel Way Better About Things.
And I’m not telling you what their real name is. You have to find your own. I’d feel sad to send you after the wrong shoes.
Here’s my final Fluevog Tip-​thing: Go to the Newbury Fluevog. Several of us bought shoes that day, and I really believe that the excellent staff (Did I mention the staff?) made the difference.
***
Endnotes:
**No, really. I dreamt about walking around New York City in awesome boots like the ones I bought for most of my formative years and all of the post-​formative ones. I just didn’t think they actually existed.
***By broken, please read: very shredded. Heart-​resembling bits. I mention this only so you know what Fluevog and the Boots were up against.