Proctor Shoe Repair

I had been going here for years and years before the change in ownership. I took a pair of shoes in made out of glove leather and they had a few spots on them and I asked if they could be removed, I was told «yes» the spots would come off if they cleaned them. I left my shoes and not only did they take weeks after the promise date (never happened with old owners) but when I went to retrieve them they were stiff as a board (not soft glove leather like they were) and were an entirely different color. They looked awful and I said something and then was told «they are not done yet» Ok I thought, I will wait until I freak out. I was told to come back in another week which I did and they still looked horrible which I told the person behind the counter. The «owner» came out from the back and then started telling me there was no problem and wanted me to pay over twice what I was originally quoted. I explained that the shoes were ruined and didn’t even resemble the pair I dropped off. He proceeded to argue with me as if I didn’t know what my own shoes looked like. He said he would «fix» them (yet again) but there was no fixing them, its like if you took a lambskin jacket and threw it in the washing machine and said it could be «fixed» afterwards. So instead of arguing with this guy in front of a bunch of strangers I simply walked away from this business and my previously fabulous shoes never to return. I would have been happier if they told me the spots couldn’t be removed then mishandling my request as they were supposed to be the «experts» in shoes, not me. I do business with so many other businesses in proctor so the location was ideal but I like my shoes and I don’t want any more ruined and then treated rudely on top of losing my shoes that I only got to wear twice. I had my own small business, you have to work long hours and not piss off your customers at minimum.

I have patronized this business for many years and the work has always been awesome. Unknown to me there was a new owner when I took my Cole Haan sandals in the first part of March. They needed new beds/​liners, that part that is under your foot. I picked them up today, April 14. When I took the shoes in I had some conversation with the new owner, Mr. Henry. He told me he was overwhelmed but had cut his store hours back to try and catch up. After one month I tried to call the old number and found it no longer in service. I looked online and discovered the many negative reviews. I went to the store and from the sign on the door obtained a new number and called, leaving a voice mail. This was around April 6^th. I called a couple more times and the voice message box was full. I thought, well I can kiss those shoes goodbye. This morning I received a return call from Mr. Henry. He said I could pick up my shoes today so I went to the store after the time he said he would be there. My shoes look brand new and I’ve had them for about 20 years. There is an article in the Tacoma News Tribune about Mr. Henry and I think it accurately explains his dilemma. Here’s what I think. The man is having a horrible time and it is a tribute to his character he is still hanging in there. The work is good, the prices are reasonable. If you need shoe work right away now is not the time. If you can be patient then take your shoes there. Try to find a shoe repair that can do real shoe repair, they are nearly extinct.

Horrible! They have a sign on the front door not allowing customers in the store or taking any additional shoes. They have had my shoes for three weeks. I got the gal to unlock the door and the guy in the back came out and started ranting about not allowing customers in the store. I still don’t have my shoes (and I prepaid). Based on the way they treat their customers, I suspect their «too much work» problem will be corrected soon and they will be out of business.

I’d been going to this place for years after Nordstrom first recommended it to me. Something seriously wrong has happened since my most recent time a few years ago. I’ve been there twice in the last week trying to drop off a pair of ankle boots to get the heels fixed, and both times the line was out the door and seemed not to be moving at all! Yesterday I started asking people if their shoes were being repaired while they waited because I couldn’t imagine what was taking so long. One person said he’d been waiting an hour and a half! Another person said she’d brought her boots in in May and was now waiting for the counter person to retrieve them! One woman started demanding to go in the back and find her shoes herself, but of course was told they couldn’t let her do that. I decided that it was time to find a new shoe repair place and I left the scene.

I took a pair of cowgirl boots in to be re-​soled about 4 months ago. When I dropped them off the woman at the front desk suggested I pre-​pay because of the discount; I ended up pre-​paying for the work, as well as new insoles because of the discount. She told me it would be between a week and 10 days. After 2 weeks I called in to check on the boots– starting from there I had nothing but problems with this place.
It seemed no one knows how to answer the phone, and the voicemail is pretty much always full. On the rare occasions I could catch anyone, I was always told my boots would be done the following week, and some random excuse was given (boots were next up for repair, machine broke down, L & I investigation prohibited any work to be done, breaker kept short-​circuiting so the machine wouldn’t work, etc etc). After several weeks of this I said I would just come get them and I expected a refund; I was told the soles were already off and would be fixed ASAP. At one point I attempted to stop by the shop and get my boots back, however the shop was closed by 3 pm with a sign saying «Lack of Staff– open from 9 – 3.» When I called in again, in complete frustration, I was told by the owner that my boots were late due to an employee putting them in the «finished» section rather than the «needs work» section,” however I «shouldn’t worry because the employee was fired.» I explained the situation and asked what could be done to remedy the situation, I was told I could receive a partial refund.
When I picked up my boots another few weeks later (about 2 ½ months total wait time), I was told by the owner he couldn’t give me a refund because he didn’t know how to work the credit card machine, and since I pre-​paid with a credit card he couldn’t give me cash. I expressed my frustration again, and we went over AGAIN what I was told (by him) in regards to compensation for the situation but he refused to give me any sort of refund. He gave me a $ 25 credit for my next repair, which I told him I wouldn’t use due to the terrible service. When I looked at my boots there was a large stain on the leather– Henry said they accidentally got glue or something on it during the repair that wouldn’t come out. Also, there were no insoles in the boots. When I brought up both issues nothing more than an apology was given for the ruined leather, and the cheapest pair of insoles was given to me. Due to the overall experience and ridiculousness of it all I chose to just leave with my boots finally in hand, rather than to keep arguing with this idiotic owner and completely freak out (as I probably should have done).
This is, without a doubt, one of the worst run businesses I have ever been to, with the worst customer service. I feel confident in saying this place is probably worse than dealing with Xfinity/​Comcast (to give you a visual of the nightmare involved).

Bad Bad Bad… buyer beware
I took in two new shoes to be widened a little… I was told it would take a week. The shop seems to be always closed during regular working hours, no one answers the phone, the VM mail box if full and it’s been a month and they have my shoes. I can’t get them back.
Use to be good but horrible now. Avoid!

Brought two pairs of sandals in to have new heels put on. Stated would be ready in two weeks. Showed up one day for p/​u and store closed early at 3p due to no staff, per sign on door. Arrived a second time and they were closed again. Also, I had no luck calling, went straight to full VM. At the end of three weeks I arrived to find my shoes were not repaired and ready to be picked up. Will not recommend or use this business again.

Henry is a shoe /​leather God! This guy can bring anything back to life. The prices are extremely fair and the workman ship is like no other. They are friendly and courteous. I have been to other places that are more organized but I feel like I have wasted my money when I get my shoes back because their workmanship is not as good as this place. When I bring my shoes I know I will need to wait about a week to get them back but it is so worth it once I get it back. Not even Nordstroms can shine my shoes like this!

I thought this place was my go to shoe repair after recently moving from Seattle. Unfortunately I was wrong. A simple resole of my $ 300 red wings turned into a 4 week trial of errors and disappointment.
After a ²⁄₁₂ week delay my boots came back resoled with the cheapest soles money can buy. The toe part of my soles started to unglue a few weeks after I got them back and the heels showed major signs of wear as well. I brought back them and was told that a Vibram sole could’ve been put on. I was never given this option at the time of purchase. I’m now stuck with inferior soles on a high quality boot. This place is also highly disorganized And the staff a bit condescending and rude.
Save yourself a headache and find someplace else.

Nice people, super busy and incomprehensibly disorganized. The repairs… Out of two and a half pair I paid to have fixed… it was the single shoe with the loose tow stitching that was done on time. One pair they scrambled to finish when I arrived, only doing the heels when the whole shoe needed to be re-​soled. The other pair wouldnt be ready until Wednesday. In fact, I watched 6 different people told to come back wednesday, after being told their shoes were not ready. This was my second attempt to pick up my shoes.
Its not personal. And I would give them a try again. Just know that when you come here, you aren’t going to have your shoes for weeks. And weeks. However many weeks they tell you, add two weeks. And the repairs are incredibly literal. Your shoes will have every scuff and speck of dirt that you dropped them off with… I know that polishing is a service in itself, but the shoes don’t even see a wet washcloth.
Anyway, I feel bad that I dont have more good to say, but they have a lot of operational problems.

I’ve taken my boots here twice to have them cemented and each time it took over a month to get them back. I got a call today (the day my boots were supposed to be done) saying that it will take another week. I’m leaving town for the holidays and they will be closed for Christmas and New Years so I won’t be getting my shoes back til next year! Even though I brought them in at the end of November. I tried to call back, 5 times in a row, but all I got was a full voicemail box.
I’ve tried to bring other shoes here on several occasions, each time during regular business hours, only to find the shop closed with some excuse taped to the door. When I DO get inside because they happen to be open, they always have trouble locating my shoes and I’ve seen it happen to other customers as well. The work they do on the shoes is just fine but they make it so difficult to even drop your shoes off and the customer service is just terrible. I’d rather not give them my business but I don’t know where else to go. Classic Tacoma Syndrome, they get away with sub-​par service because they know there is no where else for you to go.
Edit: When I did finally get my boots back the leather REEKED if patchouli and cigars. The smell never came out, the boots were ruined and I had to toss them due to the smell.

Well, this place is pretty messed up. I brought in two pairs of boots – one of them was supposed to be ready in one week – needless to say, they were not ready, and I was told that it would take another week. All I wanted is for a pair of new heels to be placed on the boots. The other pair needs a bit of stitching, and they told me up front that this would take a month. I’m wandering around Tacoma in my tennis shoes for the entire month of December, really missing my boots. When I was in the shop, trying to pick up my first pair of boots, the woman in front of me was experiencing serious consternation because the clerk was asking her to describe her boots – they had been lost, and he kept saying, «Is it thin leather, or thick leather? Tall boots, or kinda short?» It was a little like the parrot shop scene in Monty Python. DON’T GO HERE.

I wanted to say the boots I dropped off took a few weeks more than expected. From what I gathered the cobbler was having some health issues and employee issues. As a business owner I know good employees are hard to find and know accidents happen that can set back daily goals! I got my boots back and there was a lot of people upset about the delay my wife being one of them the boots both pairs were repaired so nice that I would still take my boots back for any repair! next time I might expect them to take a little bit of time!

I have to come back and add a star because I finally got my boots back on Friday and the craftsmanship is outstanding. Still upset that I had to go into the store to find out they were done, but just happy to have them back and in great condition!

I am writing another review, after rereading my recent rant, I realized maybe I was little hard, I did abit of investigating and decided that I should help instead of complain so much, and once Henry is back on his feet I know I will take shoes back for repairs, I did get a call after my letter was received, I feel like we all should give a helping hand, Julia Mullan

The worst customer service around, I took in two belts to have them altered and they said they would be done in a week. One month later belts still not done, and not even so much as an apology. DO NOT VISIT THIS PLACE, I WOULD NOT CALL IT A BUSINESS…

I don’t know what is going on. I dropped off my boots and heels and decided to come in and pick them up one day because no one had called me to tell me they were ready. It took them a long time to find my shoes and the man only came out with my boots and said my heels wouldn’t be ready till next week (it had already been 2 weeks).
I have been trying to pick up my heels but they have been closed due to short staffing! I usually get there around 4:30−5! I tried calling today like they advised but no answer. WTF GIVE ME MY SHOES!!!
This is so unprofessional. I don’t care if you’re «short staffed» you should have called all the people who’s shoes have been done and OVERDUE, apologized, and let us know a time to pick them up if you’re so inconvenienced.
I know Nordstrom uses them so maybe they are getting overwhelmed and need to fill those orders first but seriously, this is ridiculous, we need a refund,

Shoes were not ready when I went to pick them up. Then they asked to wait another week because they had a electrical power problem. Went back and they couldn’t find my shoes. Waited two more weeks for them to find my shoes. I have never had such a bad experience with a business as I had with this establishment. I prepaid and was never offered a discount or money back. Dont even try…

I can’t believe how downhill this place has gone. What was should have been a simple boot zipper repair that takes 1 week to repair, took 2 months, a lost boot and a complete failure at repair. I will NEVER return to this mess.
All I needed was an exposed zipper tooth to be pushed back into place, simple right? They claimed the entire zipper would need to be replaced, and that it would take 1 week and cost $ 12. I came back one week later to find a new sign in the door saying they were no longer open certain days of the week. And each time I came back, they couldn’t find my boot, claiming they were still working on it. Really? After 2 months?! I was finally able to get my boot back, with the original zipper still in place, albeit a tad stickier than I’d like. After paying $ 12, the zipper once again unclasped itself after only 3 more wears.
This «repair» shop is a joke. REAKS of cigarettes, a complete pigsty (my 5 year old’s room is less messy) and an absolute lack of customer service.

Very so-​so on the work here. They offer a discount if you pay cash in advance.
I’ve had some problems with them:
Polished my Frye boots to shine when they were MATTE to begin with.
Took a pair of Uffizi sandals and put a new sole on them, but left the crack in the existing sole in place, making basically unwearable shoes. Instead of discussing repair options or lack thereof, they just did a cruddy job.
I have had a few shoes re-​heeled here with success, however. While not my first choice, I would go back in a pinch.