Gilbert’s Shoe Repair

Took a pair of expensive leather dress shoes in to have them streched were a bit tight.
The price of $ 21 seemed a bit high but thought a old school shoe repair would be worth it & a weeks wait.
The owner noted to me what great shape the shoes were in and looked at the soul to see if they had even been worn.
Upon pick up with someone younger there not the owner.
The shoe leather had tearable wrinkels and discoloration were they were streached runined the shoe, when I pointed this out I was told what did I expect what did I want a shoeshine, looking closer I noticed the leather on one shoe had been pulled off the soul from over streching.
The employee offered at that point to repair them, but the look was already ruined, so I left with my shoes without paying and just thru my $ 300 shoes in the trash.
No sure what was worse the poor work that ruined my shoes or the attitude that went with it.
Im sure the owner might of felt differently but @ this point Im done with it.
So much for old school craftmanship this place was horrific!!!

I brought my work shoes in for repair and needed a rush job since I am a server and can’t work without nonslip shoes.
They promised me my shoes by the end of business the next day, the shoes were ready and the work was great. They saved me!

Gilbert’s has always done a superb job on anything I’ve brought in, shoes, luggage, travel cases, etc. Just picked up a pair of shoes, still amazed at the detail and quality of the work. Made the mistake of taking some driving mocs to a closer repair place in La Mesa, they came back ruined. Lesson learned, for me, Gilbert’s is well worth the drive in from East Countu.

These guys are professionals. I took in a pair of 15 year old dress shoes that the sole had fallen off of, and the gents at Gilbert’s put on beautiful new soles while managing to preserve the original look. They were polite, know exactly what they were doing, and charged a very reasonable price. Quick turnaround too.

These guys are great. I just had a pair of my good dress shoes repaired, they added leather and stitching to the sides of both and matched it perfectly. You can’t tell that it was fixed, it looks awesome. And for a very reasonable price. I’ll be back.

This man is an artist! I brought in my favorite leather that I have had for over 15 years; it was in desperate need of some love. Not only does it look brand new but the materials used (grommets and such) are better looking than the ones originally on the bag. I have brought my tap shoes in here in the past and really, I would never go anywhere else. This place is as good as a person could ever imagine.

I came in and they were able to fix my heels in less than 30 minutes! That’s great service!

I have brought so many of my wife’s shoes, boots, and high heels in here I have lost count. And they have always done a tremendous job. Now, I have never done any price comparisons, so I do not know if they are cheap or expensive, but I do know this: THEY DO GREAT WORK! I can without hesitation say that I highly recommend this place.

Very friendly while you wait shoe polish! I’ve had them resole a few pairs too and always get them back looking like new. I couldn’t recommend it more to anyone wanting to keep their kicks in tip top shape

Overpriced for sloppy work. Won’t be back. They didn’t even finish repairing the shoe. Terrible service.

Nice job repairing an older pair of shoes.
The price was right and the work done on time!

Brought in some leather boots that were scuffed up pretty badly. He put a tap on it and shined it up just like new. They were my favorite shoes so I was very nervous but he did such a good job. I brought in another pair of suede flats that had a stain on them. Very hard to get out, but Gilbert brushed them out, waterproof sealed them and the stain was not noticeable at all. It was a bit pricey but worth it because those shoes will last me much longer with his help.

They did a great job repairing one shoe to a point that I cannot tell which shoe was repaired. Thank you!

my experience was not overpriced. fairly inexpensive for average quality workmanship. id come back again.

I love the work at this shop. I have gone to take my work boots in to be cleaned and conditioned and they did an excellent job. I recently took a pair of my wife’s boots in so they could run some polish on the toes and re-​tap the heels. The boots came out looking wonderful and I’ll definitely continue going here. Gilbert was very nice and knowledgeable, the only reason for 4 stars instead of 5, is that it is pretty pricey.

Yes it is a bit pricey, but still better in many ways than getting a new pair. Been going here for many years, no real problems

Just picked up my Italian, vintage, leather handbag from Gilbert’s … AMAZING!!! Due to lack of care on my part and age of the handbag, the leather was cracking and worn. I wasn’t sure if the handbag could be repaired, but Gilbert’s did a phenomenal job!!!
I am extremely satisfied with Gilbert’s work and will continue to have them repair my leather goods and refer my family and friends.

Good shoe repair places are getting harder and harder to find. Gilbert’s is one of those good places. He recently resoled and reheeled my Frye boots. The work was done well, timely and for a very fair price. People who complain about the price don’t understand that this work requires craftsmanship. Parking can be a bit of pain but they will validate for the lot on Fourth.

Too expensive. $ 15 for just passing some color over my boots to clean them up is too much. Besides, you have to leave the boots there and then come back to pick them up later on, no job done on the spot. I understand they are at a prime spot in Hillcrest, but is way too much.
I have some shoes that need some repair, but since I buy them cheap, it is not worth for me those repairs. I think this place is useful for those with high quality leather or suede shoes with lots of style and that you paid a lot for and want them to last for years. In that case, you probably won´t mind paying these high prices.
On the other hand, the store looks very old school, and the smell inside reminds me my childhood and the shoe repair stores back home. There are not easy to find these days anymore, so I guess that is a plus for this store. They have many items for DIY on sale as well.

I feel conflicted about this place. I had a pair of inexpensive boots that I really liked. Since they didn’t cost much, I was not surprised when the heel became unglued. The sole was still attached at the front and middle but the small heel had become unhinged.
Gilbert’s is a few blocks from my house, so on a walk with my dog, we stopped in to see if they could be fixed. I was told it would cost $ 20 because they would need to reforge a sole and heel. He explained that the glue was too old and dry to re-​attach and he would have to make a new one. It sounded like a fair amount of work for the prices, so I agreed. Meanwhile, keep in mind the boots only cost me $ 25 new.
**They make you pre-​pay on all orders, which was annoying b/​c I had to come back with cash**
When I picked up the boots, I was informed that they were able to glue the old heel back on afterall. So I was charged $ 20 for two minutes of work and some glue!!! Total rip off!!!
However, I really like to support local business. And I do realize the convenience of where they are located. But this shop does not charge a fair price. If they were «fair» they would’ve given me half my money back due to the fact that they did not do what they charged me for, as they simply glued them and they did not make a new sole.
I noticed that a cleaners one block from here called, Veribest, also does shoe repair. I will try Veribest next time a shoe needs work.