Santacross Distinctive Shoe Serv

I rely heavily on reviews and have yet to really write one but I had such a negative experience here I felt it necessary to let others know.
I had new linings ordered directly from Christian Louboutin, which took 3 months to arrive… just in time for my wedding on May 21^st. I brought my Louboutins and the new linings here, recommended by Barney’s. What a mistake! They were dropped off Thursday and I picked them up today (Monday)…which was a «rush job». I called around to other cobblers in the area with great ratings who also work on high end shoes, all said they’d be done the next day. But I stuck with Santacross because of the recommendation from Barneys where I’d originally purchased these shoes 2 years ago.
I called ahead to make sure my shoes were ready and said I’d be right there to pick them up. When I walked in the owner was chatting with a customer about a trip or something and it took several minutes to even be acknowledged (only after I asked for help, which I was told he’d be with me when he was done… done? With your story that has nothing to do with your business?) I came in my scrubs on my lunch break which made it pretty obvious I was in a hurry. Once I pulled out my yellow pick up card he decided to pause his story long enough to dig out my shoes (which weren’t set aside like I’d asked) and place them on the counter then returned to telling his story. I wasn’t even encouraged to inspect them, which I did.
The lining in one shoe was so crooked there was a large gap under my big toe where my toe now touches the hard bottom and the lining by my pinky toe was actually adhered to the side of the shoe, ending more on top of my pinky toe. So disappointed!
I brought it to his attention and he said he was the lining them when they were inserted and he STILL approved them! Why would these approved? He said when you buy them some even come out of the box looking like that. That’s absolutely not true! Slightly off I could see but completely agape like this? Absolutely not! I said I wanted them fixed properly and he said he’d have them to me by Friday. I leave Wednesday morning for my wedding so there’s no way they’ll be ready in time. I informed him of this and he told me he couldn’t help me then and said they’d be put to the back of line to go through the wait process all over again. Even though they messed them up!
I was wanting to have my shoes photographed along with my veil and jewelry for my wedding but now I’m not sure, maybe they can photoshop them. I doubt I’ll be able to wear them for much longer than the ceremony and first dance without getting a blister under my toe.
I’ll never bring another pair of shoes here and cannot recommend them to anyone. I also plan on discussing my experience with Barneys since they recommended them.

I’m so glad I was referred to Santacross. I will forever entrust Santacross with all of my shoe repair needs, from purpose-​built snow boots to lambskin Prada pumps and everything in between. The attention to detail is evident with each repair.

He’s busy because he’s good. Not cheap, either. But he’s reliable and good at his craft.

Best value for money I’ve found in Boston. Great shine and they made the scratches in the heels of my boots look much better. I’d go there again. They also let me bring my dog in, so they scored extra points with me.

Been a customer for many years and I am still consistently amazed at the quality of the workmanship — second to none! Also, my shoes (and boots) always come back looking better than new! Wonderful quality and super friendly service. Simply the best.

I don’t know how amazing the material they use is but if they take three weeks to fix a pair of heels that can be fixed at another place for 15 minutes, then I will absolutely go to another place. And yes, for the same price.

This guy is great! He has repaired two handbags for me and both times did a fantastic job! He really is talented and definitely knows his stuff! He is honest and will tell you if something isn’t worth fixing or if he thinks it might not turn out well. A bit pricey, but totally worth it — the most recent repair saved a beautiful and favorite bag that otherwise I would’ve had to throw out. Not sure why other reviews say the turnaround time is long, as both times I’ve been there, the repairs were done quickly. Then again, I’ve only been there twice. The only thing I thought was odd was having to pay up front.

This is a family-​owned business/​small business run by a couple who is very friendly. I started coming here in 2009 – 2010 and have never looked back or used other cobblers since.
The cobbler will give you his advice about a shoe or handbag repair instead of trying to upsell you, which I like.
I have taken lots of different types of shoes to him, as well as a handbag that had spilled vegetable oil on it or some kind of strange stain. The cobbler helped fix the spot so that it is almost unnoticeable.
They have a customer loyalty card, if you take in 9 pairs of shoes the 10^th is free. The cobbler even advised me that for my free repair I should bring in a shoe/​boot with a bigger sole that would be usually a more expensive repair. I have referred his work to some friends, he made my friends’ Cole Haan ballet flats and Frye Carson boots that had been absolutely worn down to the ground like new again.
They open early in the morning, which is great for stopping by before going to work if you work downtown. Extremely close to public transportation, ideal location! I hope this small business stays open and prospers for a long time.
The only catch is: they are not open very late, and they take cash or personal check only, as of 2013 or the last time I remember asking. I usually bring a check and several pairs of shoes at once.

Okay. I have brought many shoes here to be repaired… but they need to be repaired again soon after. Plus, it takes WEEKS to fix simple things and it is VERY expensive. I also seem to always come by when he is on vacation… third time in a row! I will be looking for another place that is a bit more reliable, quicker, and less expensive.

The cobbler’s craftsmanship is so amazing and impeccable!
But it’s super slow, and expensive… it took him more than 21 days to fix my louboutin heels, and it costs like 75 bucks. I feel 75 is very expensive for the work that gets done… though if you don’t need your shoes right away, and feel spending 75 – 100 is reasonable for fixing shoes, then this is your place to go.

John at Santa Cross is as good as they come in terms of craftsmanship and honesty. He will certainly tell you if something is not worth fixing. In addition, his work is excellent and his price is very reasonable. The fix 9 get 1 free deal is also fantastic. The only complaint I have is that the turnaround time is at least two weeks… I guess he is busy. I tried going to another place that was convenient for me and I ended up coming back to John. Will not take my shoes anywhere else.

I took my Frye boots here to get fixed up and he did a phenomenal job! They look and feel like brand new. I will not take my shoes anywhere else!

This guy is a wizard. I brought in a pair of riding-​style boots to get the heels and soles replaced, hoping to eke one more fall/​winter out of a pretty tired pair of boots… and now they seriously look new. He did what i asked and also cleaned and polished the boots up so beautifully. They are actually better than new, because he put fantastic new Vibram soles on them that will be so much better than the slippery rubber soles they had before. I also brought in a handbag, which he had not quite finished when I went to pick it up, but he put the finishing touches on it while I waited (no more than five minutes) and that looks great too. Very pleased, will be back. Only downside is that you need to pay cash up front, but it is well worth the craftsmanship and attention to detail that you get.

An almost forgotten art. I have had 3 pair of souls replaced on very well made boots. Great service and knowledge. I would recommend trying them out.

Years ago when we lived in the city, this was my regular shoe repair place. Then we moved to the South Shore and I found another almost as great cobbler who also provided convenience since that shop was so close to home.
However the local place has not been up to par for the past year or so resulting in my decision to stop going there.
It’s not easy to find high quality shoe repair services and so it was back to Santacross for me even though this means I have to lug my shoes or boots into Boston and back.
This has got to be the best shoe repair service around.
I brought a favorite pair of boots in recently where I’d worn the heels right into the ground.
They were pricey boots and I wanted them to not only be repaired but have really good quality new heels put on that could withstand the wear and tear. The boots are heavy and so the heels need to withstand the weight of the boot without wearing down prematurely.
What I got back are boots that look like new with great Vibram heels that are of much better quality than the original ones were. Love that the boots were polished and shined too. So exciting to have them back looking so refreshed.
Here, the owner will examine your shoes (or other item for repair like a handbag), appraise the kind of work that needs to be done and then give you a price that you pay upfront. Take your ticket marked «paid» and return a week or two later to find your item in terrific shape and looking great.
Don’t forget to get the stamp card which entitles you to get one pair of boots or shoes re-​heeled for every nine pairs you pay for.
They also dye shoes. After my wedding years ago, I so loved my white silk (and over the top expensive) shoes that I wanted to continue to enjoy them. The folks at Santacross dyed them black and they looked stunning. I no longer have them but they were a fabulous pair of go-​to dress shoes for a long time afterwards.
I’m back to being a regular Santacross customer for sure although it’s sad that I can no longer patronize the place right in the town in which I live. But quality is quality and Santacross delivers it.
Star the new year right; spiff up your shoes!

So I guess it depends who you are and whether your bringing $ 500 shoes into be repaired to get reasonable turnaround time here. I needed some scuffed heels replaced, literally a 15 minute job was quoted 3 weeks, not surprisingly I walked out.

Very knowledgable, good workmanship, and reasonably priced repairs. You can trust them with your expensive, or inexpensive, shoes. If you need a quick turnaround, they’re able to cater to your needs at no additional cost. And you can trust their work will be solid and completely seamless to the integrity of the original.
They also have a discount card for those of us that have a habit of wearing down heels and needing to replace them (get your tenth pair free.)

This place is amazing. He shames all other repair places! I have taken more than 5 pairs to repair, and I will continue! Also, if your shoe cannot be repaired, he will outright tell you. He is so busy most work takes a week, but he is on time and (even if it took him a month) it is worth the wait!

This is the best shoe repair shop I’ve dealt with in Boston OR New York City.
This guy is the real deal and seriously knows how to fix a pair of shoes. Time after time he impresses me– he literally resurrected a pair of destroyed Kenneth Cole heals and he brought my Chloe platforms back to life after a one of my straps broke. He also saved a pair of Donald J Pliner leather boots from a bout I had with crazy glue– they were actually doused in glue due to this crazy accident and he completely saved my shoes– you can’t tell anything ever happened!
My most recent experience was today though– I brought in a pair of Louboutins I desperately need for tomorrow night. The heal lost the bottom thing and I needed it repaired asap. Usually shoes from his place take about a week to come back but after I mentioned I needed them soon he said that I could pick them up LATER TODAY. THIS GUY IS A MIRACLE WORKER LIFE SAVER.
I highly, highly recommend him. He knows how to handle both luxury shoes and cheap ones that sometimes fall to what I’d consider beyond repair. Go to him.

John has been in business for 30 years. His talent goes from repairing brand new Chanel pumps accidentally scuffed on cement steps to polishing Kiss’s platform boots for a local concert. He expertly maintains and extends the life and beauty of your shoes.