Mooshoes

Awesome customer service kind cook vegan environment with cats rooming, vegan books, vegan cook bags, vegan shoes and boots… including some classics from the 1970s made over as vegan…
Highly recommended!!!

I really wish they didn’t have a cat. I don’t know why stores do this. A shop should be accessible to everyone. I’m so allergic and I can’t spend more than a few minutes in the shop. My sister can’t shop here at all or she’ll have a severe asthma attack. Everything has cat hair on it. Even the clerks are covered in it. So I can’t but anything for anyone with an allergy. There is cat dander on everything. They should consider that.
They have a good shoe selection. But I wish they had more accessories. They have some Matt and Nat bags for women. But they need more men’s bags.
No returns. Only exchanges and store credit only.

I try my best to live a full vegetarian lifestyle, which not only involves vegetarian food but also involves me avoiding leather products. Not an easy task with shoes and belts the way they are in this society.
This is where MooShoes comes in.
They appear to deal a lot with a British company called Vegetarian Shoes, which is nice since I’ve been buying their things since 15 or so years ago and they have everything from sandals to dress shoes. This is perfect for a vegetarian.
The service is excellent. Wonderful ladies work there! Everyone is very nice to me and eager to help. It appears everyone believes in the product and that is so important. They even have a store cat and a store dog. They’re very charming and add to the ambiance.
My only problem is, most of the time they do not carry the items I want, So I have to come back frequently. You can always order online, but I find its best to try on what they have at the store, especially since they go by European sizes, not American.
Overall great store, I highly recommend it, but anticipate the possibility of the item you want being out of stock.

So glad this place exists! I’ve scoured the Earth, traveling to the four corners of Mordor just to find a pair that didn’t involve killing a cow. And here we have heaps of them.
They’ve got a range of options, from dress shoes to boots to a few more casual (but still classy) pairs. Their selection for men is pretty extensive. They’ve also got some accessories, like belts, handbags, backpacks, and thin wallets. I picked up a Baggu shoulder bag. Faux leather belts are incredibly hard to find, so I’m glad they have them, although the one I looked at was $ 75.
I got dress shoes that look quite elegant. Many of the dress shoes for men are tacky, with blocky toes and rims on the bottom. Also, some warp strangely when you try them on (poorly designed, I think, or perhaps the material doesn’t bend well).
The product is very, very expensive. Around $ 110 to $ 170 (a few pairs farther out, like $ 65 and $ 260). I’m willing to eat the cost because having responsibly-​sourced shoes is more important than me, but this will be a non-​starter for many. I’d love if someone manufactured non-​leather shoes (they are plastic, after all) and sold them at mass market places. Vegetarianism shouldn’t be the exclusive domain of the wealthy.
They also have limited sizes of some pairs. You can get added to a waiting list if they don’t have your size. Most of the shoes are imported from Europe, so they use European sizes. The staff can help you out. I got a size lower than was recommended (I’m a US 12 /​EU 45, but EU 44 fit more snugly).
Staff are rather icy at first, but I bonded with the cashier over T-​Swift. They’ve also got a cute cat roaming around, although it sticks to itself. I wanted to pet it!
Giving this extra stars because they’re doing something so important. I’m so glad they exist.

great selection of vegan shoes and a few accessories (purses, belts, tshirts, etc).
however — They were having an event on saturday, and I kind of felt like the staff who worked there was pretty cold and unfriendly. nobody invited us to the cake samples they had out, or drinks, nobody told us about the sales that were going on — however they mentioned it to someone who must have been local, or a regular when she walked in, so thats how i knew what was happening.
i was going to buy a shirt, but walked out empty handed since there were three of us there and nobody mentioned to us about the sale or the treats to any of us in the party.
we find new yorkers to typically be so friendly and chatty, but not here.
however, the store is nice and has a good variety of shoes.

I LOVE this store! They have great vegan shoes, clothes, & accessories! You walk in and feel comfortable immediately. You are able to shop at your leisure and don’t worry, because they have many sizes & styles to choose from. If your size should be out, they can get your size fast! I was in on a Sunday and by Wednesday they had called.
Thanks again Mooches!
You people are the best!

My vegan husband wanted to stop by this place on our weekend visit to NYC. I was totally not expecting to find any shoes that I liked, but wow was I wrong! I only bought one pair of wedges (seriously cannot wait for warmer weather to wear them) but they had a great selection of flats, boots, sneakers and summer sandals. They also had a great selection of handbags! My husband (the pickiest man alive) found several pairs of shoes that he liked too. House cat Georgie was the icing on the cake. We will definitely be back!

This is a must visit store when you are veg shoe shopping in NYC. For a while, they only catered to high end, 3 figure priced shoes. However, they have recently recognized that there is competition, and they should have some of the cheaper shoes, too. While this may feel like a step back from the quality, I feel that it is a way to make veg shoes accessible to everyone.
The displays are as lovely as ever, with wire-​secured glass shelving to focus on the beautiful shoes. The concrete floor is hip and functional. The store layout allows you to walk around, taking a look at the shoes, bags, belts and clothing before making a decision. The large mirror in the front is helpful to allow you to have a full view of what the shoes look like with your attire. There are a few seating areas to try on your shoes, but I have never been in this store when those seating areas were filled to the point of your need to stand and wait for your chance to try on shoes.
The folks here are helpful and very friendly. They also have none of the snobbery that some high end shops might have, which is always appreciated. If you want to wear your new shoes, just ask to do so as you leave the store. They’ll hold onto the box for you and recycle it. You can also ask them to just take your shoes without the box. Cool.
This store is in high demand though, from on-​line and in-​person purchases, that some of the hottest items will sell out of popular sizes very quickly. Be adamant about ordering and buying them quickly or be patient in waiting and hoping for restocking. They always have shoes on sale for the last few pairs of a shoe, but the sizes tend to be the ones that most people do not fit into (either rather small or rather large).
I also love that they host community events, as they are an integral part of their community in NYC and for the animals. Awesome!

My favorite store in NYC! The selection is so diverse that there’s something for everyone both in terms of style and price point. The selection is updated on a regular basis, too. The staff are friendly and knowledgable and the cats are lazy. Except for Georgie, but that’s only because she’s new and hasn’t been properly indoctrinated by the older cats yet.
In addition to making it easy for people who give a damn about what they put on their feet to find ethical footwear, Mooshoes is THE vegan community center of NYC. They host so many events and do so with style. Mooshoes shows you can run a business and keep your ideals intact.

My rating is based off of the wonderful customer service I received.
I ordered a pair of boots from Mooshoes online which is always a risk but I had them before so I knew I liked them. Well, just two months in the zipper completely breaks making the boots worthless. I contacted Mooshoes to inquire about a new boot or a refund, and while they could not refund me my money or get me a new boot because I had bought them on sale and they no longer carried them, they did offer to pay the repair cost for my boot. Not only did they offer me a solution, but repayment for the repair was also quick. I will definitely be recommending this store and buying from them again. Thanks Mooshoes!

Mooshoes is the Mooshit.
I love this spot. Good service, emotionally stable staff and felines, and best of all, shoes, bags, and belts that kill fashion, not cows. Often, there are some good deals so it ain’t too bad on the pocketbook if you know what I mean, and I think you do. :)
Support this spot, ladies and gents. You’ll feel good about yourself. I know from experience yo.

Thank you Moo Shoes! I love supporting a vegan company. I have shopped in their store since they were located in the 20s, then on Allen Street near the amazing Bluestockings bookstore and their latest location on Orchard Street (near vegan bakery, babycakes). My most recent visit at Moo Shoes was extraordinary. Neysha was super helpful. She is super knowledgeable about shoes and veganism. Even though I felt like a high maintenance shopper, I never felt rushed. Neysha was super patient with me. All the employees there were so kind and resourceful. The only thing I can criticize about Mooshoes is that they don’t sell vegan kids shoes for my vegan toddler son. They’re an amazing store with an awesome selection and a fantastic staff.

These folks are the greatest. Something like 10 years ago I made a pilgrimage, when I had a connection through NYC. Imagine you have never been to NYC before and you have just a couple of hours to kill — I chose Mooshoes over any sights, and I’m so glad I did!
Fast-​forward 10 years. Now I’m surprised to find I live right nearby! Maybe 15 minutes’ walk! So amazing. They make life so much easier. Just go.
And you won’t find cheaper online. Trust me, I tried.
And that cat… that cat has it made.

Residential kitty Marlow is the BEST.
Besides that, it’s really awesome that you can walk in to a store in the city and not have to obsessively read labels or get on your phone to check out if it’s vegan.
That said, I do wish they had more accessories (I know they’re a SHOE store), but even things like more socks, or belts/​bags, would make it even more enticing.
Some of (a lot) of the products are pretty expensive but well worth it.

Vegan shoes. Vegan bags. Vegans shirts. Vegans jackets. And basically anything and everything in the store is vegan. It’s such a relief knowing there’s a store dedicated to vegans. The staff is always really nice and friendly and very helpful and the prices are very reasonable especially for upscale shoes.
And they have a rescued cat you can hang out with (they had more cats before who unfortunately passed away recently from old age) and a rescue dog who thinks your shoes are toys and you’re the perfect person for hugs and kisses. Love this store and I come here any opportunity I get.

Vegan shoes, accessories and clothing with a wide selection.
I’ve been to MooShoes several times over the years, mainly to buy sneakers and dress shoes. Overall, I’ve had pretty good experiences.
Selection — They have a lot to choose from, but since I wear a larger shoe (12 or 13 in men’s) there were some limitations for what I could actually get. Besides that, they had a bunch of belts and wallets to choose from as well as some clothing items.
Prices — In my opinion, they’re a bit steep, even factoring in the cruelty-​free aspect. Most of the dress shoes are over $ 100. I also bought a belt for $ 30 and that was a cheap one. I have not bought any other accessories there given the prices.
Quality — Overall it’s pretty solid. I only had one pair of shoes that lasted me about two months before completely falling apart. Another pair of dress shoes started showing considerable wear after only a few months. Otherwise I’ve also had two pairs that both lasted me multiple years. The $ 30 belt I bought is pretty flimsy, but it’s still wearable about 8 months later.
Service — Hit and miss. I’ve bad some experiences where the staff seemed uninterested in giving me assistance. I’ve also had some very good experiences too, especially recently, so maybe things have gotten better.
Other thoughts — Some items don’t have prices listed and I think it would be helpful to mark them. I couldn’t find the prices on the belts and had to ask two different times. Then I was told there are only two different prices for the men’s belts. How hard would that be to make a sign or tag, or at least tell me in the first place?
All in all, it’s great to have a vegan shoe (and accessory) store with a variety of selections. The prices are Manhattan high, but worth it if you want some vegan hard-​to-​finds.

I returned to MooShoes a month ago and had a MUCH better experience. I did not mention that I authored the previous review. Shortly after I posted it I was contacted by the owner who apologized and assured me things were better. Well, I can confirm that they are. The staff who helped me were very friendly, retreived the shoes quickly. So was the store kitty, Marlowe who sat in a shoe box with his name on it on the counter.
The shoes I bought were cheaper than they were from the company that makes them by about $ 15 and they had my size in stock. So far, I’ve really loved my new Marais USA Beatle boots and they are comfortable and good quality.
The sign on the door telling people wearing real fur where to stuff it is also amazing. I wish more businesses would do this!
MooShoes, you’re back in my good books.

I recently received a private message from an employee at Mooshoes. This message is in response to my review from 9÷18÷2012. Originally I had given them 2 stars but after reading this email I had to write an update and lower their stars to only one.
As someone who works in the customer service field I know that not all customers will be happy with the services/​products that I provide and if there is a misunderstanding I will try to talk to them and find a way to fix our relationship. That is the professional way of handling things. I would never accuse a customer of lying, especially if I believe that the customer did not have all the information needed. Very unprofessional email from someone that is inexperienced in how to handle customer service or just an email from someone who does not care.
This is the email from someone named Stephanie D:
stephanie d. has sent you a message on Unilocal:
re: Mooshoes review
«I work at Mooshoes. Mooshoes is the name of the storefront, Novacas is the name of the BRAND of shoe. It’s not a Portuguese company, it’s just manufactured in Portugal as opposed to China like most companies, because we support fair labor. Yes we wholesale shoes to other stores, and they went up on Amazon because Amazon bought out one of our wholesalers, unbeknownst to us. You should really attempt to learn the facts before you accuse others of lying.»

I think this store might be a little too popular because I couldn’t find a pair of shoes here in my size. I found a couple of options I liked but they were only available in odd sizes (quite a few in 5 and 10 only). Really cute store, I love that it’s all vegan, but I didn’t find too many shoes with enough arch support (vegans need arch support, too!) I’d love it if they added a few more vegan T-​shirt options.
I did, however, find the workers to be incredibly nice and helpful and the doggy store-​mascot Poppy was adorable.

I’ve been buying from MooShoes’ online store for almost 10yrs and last week I finally made it into the store and it was heaven! The store is spacious and the selection of kicks for all types of occasions are endless. This is the store my online purchases are shipped from. And it’s located in one my favorite parts of NY.
I was greeted by a very sweet gal who offered help with anything I needed. Due to my large calves and wide feet I tried on many sizes and styles and she was glad to help each time. We even talked about the problem with buying vegie shoes in that it’s never guaranteed to stretch and when I asked her about a certain material she was very honest and said she knew little about it. I admire that a lot.
After digging through their awesome selection of boots, stilettos, flats, high tops, mary janes, etc. a little furry being ran passed me. I soon learned the store had three housecats all who were rescued from the streets. They’re the cutest babies.
Vegan or not, I recommend this store because:
1) cruelty-​free
2) great selection
3) awesome staff
4) small business
5) great location!
Does it matter what they sell? These are the essentials of a joint I’d happily support always!