Supporting neighborhood businesses is important in keeping local ones vibrant and preserving the past. Ocean Avenue has really evolved with the influx of Asian, mostly Chinese, families, that reside in the Ingleside. The condo project with the Whole Foods Market and Philz Coffee probably sparked the change to a degree. Back to this business, I searched on Yelp for a place close to home to repair my most practical and favorite piece of luggage (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=cW_maSKmgOcT-qSrOWgU3g&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q). When I last used this about a year ago, I tried to roll my bag from the SFO baggage claim carousel to get my car when I noticed a rattling noise as I walked. I didn't think much of it till I got home when I saw the problem. The wheel were cracked into pieces, likely from my hard handling when it was packed to capacity. As a result, I sought someone to help with this. Johnny had to find the right parts which took a while. Finally, I was glad that he replaced wheels (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=OsyfsFP4hkC5p1a1lfjeyA&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) in time for my next trip. Johnny is very nice and personable but, if you are in a rush or a bit OCD about broken possessions like me, you do need to stay on top in getting updates on the work. Do call and leave messages if he doesn't answer or you stop by when the store is closed. read more

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A-1 Shoe Repair gets the job done, but don't expect anything special. Dropped off a pair of shoes for a basic fix--quality came out decent, no major complaints there. Pricing felt a bit on the higher side for what it was, though. Turnaround time was okay, not super fast but not painfully slow either. Customer service was kind of neutral--no attitude, but not exactly welcoming either. Overall, it's a solid "if you need it, it works" type of place. Not bad, not great, just average. read more

Our leather sofa had been damaged by our dogs. We loved this classic leather sofa and we thought there was no way to repair. A-1 Shoe repair came to the rescue. I can't believe how Jonny transformed the sofa to like new condition . The holes repaired and the color restored. He is a miracle worker! We are thrilled. read more

A-1 Shoe - Damaged sofa - Shoe Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I thought this was the best after one trip. I was wrong. I left a pair of shoes there over two years ago. I went back maybe 6 months later because I'd never heard from him and no one ever answered the phone. He was there. I gave him my ticket. He looked around and grabbed one and said "oh. I just started working on these". Never went back. Definitely not worth the $100 that I probably gave him a deposit on. If he's ever open when I drive by maybe I'll stop by but I'm not sure. I miss those shoes. They weren't anything fancy but I loved them and can't replace them and was willing to spend 100 on them so they'd make it another 20 years. Oh well. P.S. the shoes that he did before needed a refresh- got one for much less on Geneva at another place. My error. Doesn't have to be yours. read more

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Open according to hours listed in internet or update your information so people don't waste a trip driving over only to find that you're not open as stated. You lost a customer. read more

First of all I had gone there (at different times of day) more than once and they weren't ever open. When I see that it's finally open the gentleman took a long time to actually ask me what I needed to be done, even when I tried to tell him. I explained what I wanted and it seemed like he understood. I hesitated to pay up front then it took him almost a month to tell me he was done. He did the most sloppiest work that added injury to the insult of his betrayal when I told him I wasn't satisfied. Poor workmanship and something I will keep to myself... read more

My favorite leather jacket had a broken zipper. They added a new zipper that was much nicer than the one that came with the jacket. A few months later my belt broke and I decided to have a REAL belt made. No more low quality "Target" belt for me anymore. My new custom made belt is GREAT! Not just a repair shop. read more

I brought in a Dooney & Bourke bag that needed to be polished. Yony inspected the bag and saw that the leather binding was coming off. Of course, this needing to be fixed will also incite additional cost. And though I only wanted to spend less than $60 on the bag, he pegged the price at $135 for both polish and repair. Can it get any worse? Yes! My girlfriend needed the bag pronto, so all that Yony said he would do, had to be done the very next day, opening time. Recap: for a $135, two works needed to be finished in less than 24 hours: polishing/cleaning & replacing the binding. After a good night's rest, the job was done, and the job result was beyond what I thought it to be. It looked brand new and the timing was perfect! Granted, I picked it up around 2PM, but the job was that good that my girlfriend didn't bother with being upset with me!! Thanks for an awesome looking bag!! read more

A-1 Shoe - Shoe Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

I called Yony on a Sunday and got two backpacks fixed during the same day, spending no more than 40 minutes in the shop having a deep conversation as well about life. Talk about prompt service! Truly Yony is on call during the pandemic. He's been doing his craft since 1982! read more

I went three times and its closed. I called the number on the window and it goes straight to voicemail. Is this place still open?

I have a treasured leather bomber jacket that is 30yrs. old. The zipper wore out and while at A-1, Johnny suggested he could treat the leather and bring it back to life. We were very pleased with the quality of workmanship. Johnny is committed to his work . read more

A-1 Shoe - 30yr. old leather jacket, zipper and pockets worn out. - Shoe Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Good talker. Says he is honest, been in the business since he was a child, not all cobblers are created equal and he is the best because he is an expert in his craft. Don't believe him. He is all talk. Once he lures you in with a reasonable quote, he will tell you to leave the merchandise and he will call you to confirm the price. He will take forever, give you an unreasonable price (eventually), way more than initially quoted. And he will say price is good only until so and so and you have to pay cash. Otherwise, his quote will no longer be valid. I almost fell for it. He almost refused to give me back my merchandise when I said I didn't want to do it. I can't believe he was going to hostage my stuff!!! I went somewhere else and i paid a quarter of what this guy was charging me. He is bad news. Go somewhere else. read more

Johnny's on call during the pandemic so give him a call if you need any work done! We swung by this weekend and saw the gate closed, but when we called he scheduled a time for us to come by to drop off some belts to be cut. He was very precise with the measurements and considerate of all the details including where the belt would extend beyond the last belt loop, if the tapered end would mean it might move around and be uncomfortable, etc. I would honestly trust him with any job that needs to be done! read more

I recently purchased a cow leather bag, and within an hour of purchase, I managed to get bird poop on it. With this devastating event in New York, I came back home to San Francisco, only to find a leather smith who is an absolute magician/ craftsman. I am so happy to know him through word of mouth- I was actually referred by a mentor of mine who is a native to San Francisco. It looks better than how I purchased it in retail. It's got more life, and a nice sheen. It feels great. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I can't thank you enough. read more

He is quite the talker. Took 4 pair of shoes to him and after 3 months and 5 visits to pick them up, I finally just wanted them back. He kept promising they would be ready and I should have just got them and gone elsewhere. He agreed to stay late and fix them all by the next day. 2 days later he calls and said they were ready and he did special "waterproofing" (on him). He raved about the waterproofing and how much I saved for this's. I didn't ask for it and I was finally able to get them......at the same price. Want to support local business but this was extremely frustrating. Spent so much time listening to his sad tales and excuses it just compounded the waste of time of parking and coming out empty handed. You would be really taking a chance here. No discount for having to wait months to get your stuff. read more

Had a uniform jacket that needed the zipper repaired as soon as possible. And the owner got it done in the fastest turn around since I've moved out here from out of state. Would highly recommend! read more

Got my heels and soles replaced while I waited! I have called several shoe repair shops to see if I can wait while they replace the heels of 2 pairs of high heels. They basically told me most likely not able to do that. I called A-1 and Yony told me he will be working late so come in and wait while he works on my heels. As it turns out that one of my pair of high heels really needs to have the sole replaced as well to prevent slip and fall. Thank you Yony to doing the repairs while I waited. They looks like brand new after he polished them as well. read more

I keep bringing unusual jobs to Johnny, and he delivers every time. He's repaired two fabric audio/visual equipment cases for me, one of them a video monitor case with broken sun shade flaps (the manufacturer refused to repair it!) and another enormous subwoofer cover with a broken strap. I'm really glad to have this neighborhood shop that's willing to work on my strange requests. read more

3 missed signs that made me a sucker: this shop is Dishonest and unprofessional One end of the top handle of my suitcase came detached. We spoke over the phone, he said it would cost $30. Came into the shop, he somehow convinced me that the other end of the handle is about to come loose, too. (Actually it wasn't. This was the first sign.) He can replace the entire set but he had to order new parts for it, and new parts are expensive. So he had to charge me $50. I was a sucker for believing him. We agreed to a pickup day, on which his shop didn't even open!! I waited for half an hour thinking he might've gone on a break. Called multiple times. Nothing. This was the second sign. When I finally caught him on the next day, I was dumbfounded by the result. As you can see in the first picture, instead of ordering a new part, which was the reason for charging $50, he simply took a part from another old luggage!! It had scratches all over it. This was the final sign. I was like, come on sir, it is clearly not new. His response was, "this is the whole concept of repair". He wouldn't have given me the suitcase had I not paid the full price. And by now I've wasted too much time that I was glad to just get it over with. So I paid like a sucker. But you don't have to be. Don't waste your money or time on this dishonest shop. read more

A-1 Shoe - Charged me $50 for ordering new parts but gave me a used part instead :( - Shoe Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I have been going to Yony for more than 15 years. He does very high quality work, and is extremely creative and experienced. You will never be disappointed with the results of his work. He has been able to fix all kinds of problems, and always produces aesthetically pleasing work that lasts. He comes from a family of shoemakers, and he is at the peak of maturity and skill in his craft. He can tackle anything. He has done custom work for me including leather fasteners on coats, full rebuild of high-end shoes, making custom belts, repairing leather jackets and purses, etc. He really cares about his work, and has made it possible for me to wear favorite shoes many years beyond their intended lifespan. read more

Yony (Pronouced "Jony") Is the cobbler that runs this business. I was a first time customer and I brought him 4 pairs of shoes. This was the breakdown of the price quote for his services and his time frame: Pair #1: cement a new sole and heel for $65 (normally he charges $75) Pair #2: cement a new sole and heel for $65 (normally he charges $75) Pair #3: cement a new sole and heel for $65 (normally he charges $75) Pair #4: sew a pre-sole and sew a new sole and heel for $90 Complimentary shine for all four pairs. Yony told me it would be done in 2 weeks (my only day off is Saturday). The prices are 3x more than I'm used to paying and 2 weeks is much longer than I'm used to waiting, but he spent a whole hour talking me into his "quality service." I literally listened to his sales pitch for an hour until I got a phone call and used it as an excuse to leave. He took down my phone number and said he would call when they were ready. Two weeks later, I call him and he says my shoes are not ready. He said he would have them finished on the following Tuesday at the latest. The following Saturday (3 weeks later) I inquired about my shoes and he says they are still not done. I told him I was upset and he promised he would have them ready by the next Tuesday and would call me and personally deliver them to my work that afternoon. Tuesday evening I call him and tell him I am upset and disappointed. He says he will be out of town the following weekend and he was still not finished with my shoes. On Thursday, I decide to leave work early and pick my shoes up. Three weeks and five days later: Pairs #1 and #2 are finished. Pair #3 has no sole and no heel on it. Pair #4 has the new sole and heel cemented on, but no sewn pre-sole as promised, but he still charges me $90 anyway. I told him I would like to have all my shoes back and I will pay him for the work that he did. He REFUSED to give me my unfinished shoes back and literally had a tug of war with me over the counter and said "Oh, you gonna play me like that!?" (I am a 5'1" petite woman, by the way) Yony is very unprofessional, inefficient, dishonest and has horrible customer service. I will go to West Portal next time I need a shoe repair. read more

Outstanding! Johnny replaced a zipper on one leather purse and repaired a strap on another. Quick turn around and excellent work!

Replacing suitcases more than once was getting a bit old! The most recent airline catastrophe entailed the suitcase wheels getting damaged. Thank goodness I found Yony Mejia (Johnny)! I felt like he reincarnated my suitcase and made it even better than new. Having my suitcase repaired was a smart move and worth the money -- very fair and reasonable pricing. The overall work was done with exceptional care, very professional and excellent quality! In addition, Johnny was superb in communicating -- following up and explaining the type of work that needed to be done. A-1 Shoe, Accessory & Luggage Repair does outstanding work! It's obvious they take pride and sincere care in their work! After seeing the vast improvement with my suitcase, I feel like they can tackle just about anything! read more

Manager Yony Mejia runs a a tight ship. He has been in business for 5 years. He is one of the many owners of small businesses on Ocean Ave. A family tradesman, he took over the business from his younger brother. A-1 offers resoling of any kind of shoes. Expert Dyeing on fabric and leather shoes. Service on handbags...backpacks etc... A-1 replaces zippers on jackets..bags etc. A-1 can fix any leather good. This is a great service in the neighborhood. I like good quality leather products and often a simple sole or strap needs to be repaired or replaced. Many of the older tradesmen in shoe repair are retiring. Senor Mejia will be at 1611 Ocean Avenue for awhile. Yony's family saying is "Time wounds all heels" Call in advance if you have any questions. Check out Ocean Avenue Ya'll. read more

Johnny is one of a rare breed: a true, skilled craftsman who is adept at repairing things to be better than new. I entrusted my muchly-beloved 12yo pair of biker books to him. Their flanks, with stitched-on flames of red leather, were lovely as ever, but the boots were starting to blow out near the balls of my feet (so much less dirty & fabulous than it sounds). I was SO NOT READY to let go of these boots, the best & most continually wearable artifacts of my badass 20's. Johnny not only repaired my boots, he polished them & made them look more badass than ever. They now glow.. not in a schmancy way, but in a perfect, broken-in, sturdy, amazing way. I've lived in Maine for a year now, & after piling together all my footwear (from boots--not those he repaired last year; those are good to go for several more) to strappy heels & slingbacks) that needs a bit of help, the only obvious solution was to call Johnny. How happy am I that he's willing to talk to me about repairs over the phone & work on my shoes if I send them out to him? SO FREAKING HAPPY. This man is wonderful & does amazing work. Support his business. That is all. read more

I would do business with Johnny again. Fantastic service, communication and end result. He replaced the zipper and treated the leather on one of my fiancee's favorite (older/"vintage?") handbags. Turned it around in a timely manner for me, just in time for Valentine's day. She was very impressed with the transformation to say the least, and it now has a new life. Thanks!! read more

My situation was a little different than most as it was a custom job. I took 2 brand new camera bags to this shop to get a few additions sewn on. I explained to him what I wanted (which was a chest strap on both and a tripod pocket attached to the bottom of each bag). Everything was executed perfectly and in a very quick manner. Even after he realized he should have charged more for the job, he honored the estimate he had given me. I would definitely recommend this shop. read more

I brought in my 30 yr old Schott motorcycle jacket. The zippers were broken and it had faded completely to a medium gray color. Johnny worked miracles on this coat, re-dying in to the original dark black and putting on a new zipper. A new coat would have been over $600. but this one is soft and wearable though it looks brand new. My friends can't believe it's the same jacket and I couldn't be happier. THANKS JOHNNY!! read more

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Did a GRAND rescue of a discontinued and treasured Coach messenger bag! This bag was bought many years ago while my Sister was on a shopping trip with my Mom. My Mom has since passed away and I was very wary of getting this bag rescued. This man did it absolutely well and did it RIGHT. Craftsmen like this are exceedingly rare. Especially those who focus on the work and put everything else secondary. Absolutely give your business to this gentleman. He will treat you and your leather RIGHT. read more

By far one of the best shoe repair shops I've found. We have been going to A-1 Shoe for years. Yony Mejia does wonders on our shoes. The sole of women's boots can be so thin....I take them to Yony right when I purchase them and they last for a year or two. My husband on the other had travels alot for business. He wears his shoes with suits and cannot afford to have raggedy looking shoes. Yony puts a thin piece of rubber on the soles of the shoes to preserve the life. They can honestly last a life time. He also fixed a zipper and a strap for one of my purses. Awesome job! It can be pricey but I would rather pay good money for service that will last a good while. Try Yony Mejia out! I promise you will not be disappointed. read more

Came in to replace my watch battery. Everything went smoothly and the whole experience was quick/cheap. Only $7! Insane. I originally went to Tony's (on Mission & Geneva) but their posted hours are incorrect or they just don't follow their own business hours. Either way, go here instead of there lol. read more

Johnny at A-1 Shoe Repair can fix items that other shoe repair places won't touch. When I read that other Yelp users went to him to get their suitcase repaired, I was elated! I have a 10-year old road warrior case that had some mighty wear and tear and has since been discontinued so I couldn't replace it if I tried. Not to mention the expense of a new one that I probably wouldn't even like as much. So Johnny inspected it, showed me all the ways he could sew and patch it, and voila I am thrilled with his work which he did at a fair price! I defy you to find another suitcase repair place in the city as good and fairly priced as A-1. He also sewed the seams of a brand new pair of knee length vegan boots to help them fit more snuggly to my legs. All the other shoe repair places I tried before A-1 would not touch my vegan boots since plastic is harder to sew on than leather. But Johnny fixed them expertly! Johnny works hard to get your job done when you need it.... and he's a nice guy too! I'd recommend him with the highest regard! read more

Yes, I was completely fooled. Is this business really what it says it is? I left my favorite boots at this shop for more than a year. They were never fixed. I stopped by more times than I can remember and I REALLY REALLY wanted to believe the owner when he apologized each time and promised to have them fixed immediately. He is very likable. But these were all empty promises. During all these months, I never received a phone call or an offer to have them repaired for free due to this serious inconvenience. I kept going back to the shop to check to see if they were ready. Today I retrieved my boots, unfixed, exactly as I left them. I plan to take them somewhere else, but I just wish that I had known sooner. I wish the owner had been honest with me and said "you should take these somewhere else because I will not have time to fix them in a reasonable time frame." read more

The proprietor is very friendly. He fixed the heels on a pair of boots that were off balance and also fixed up the color. I just wish his prices were cheaper. Depending on the shoe, the heel repair can cost from $12-20 which just seems like alot when you go through a lot of heels. read more

Highly recommend! Johnny was great and fixed my luggage wheel the same day. My dinner ran over so I couldn't pick it up that same Saturday, but he made a special appointment for me on Sunday so I could pick it up and mark this long over due chore off my list. I am so grateful. The wheel works great and instead of dumping my broken luggage into the landfill, I can still use it again. Thank you for excellent work and great customer service! read more

Leather saviours at your service. I have a gorgeous, all leather Coach bag that got a hideous stain on it after I spilled jewelry cleaner inside the bag. The stain was awful, and I was convinced that my beautiful relationship with the fine, buttery leather was over... In come my knights in shining armour, A-1! The staff were incredibly helpful in selecting a new, chocolatey brown to dye my bag (had been a slightly lighter brown with reddish undertones.) I nervously left my bag to see what kind of magic they could spin. Two days later (after a requested rush job- I was leaving town), I came to pick up my precious, and lo and behold my bag was perfect. The new colour is sensational (I actually love my bag more now with the new colour!) I haven't experienced and colour transfer onto other clothes, and absolutely no smell from the dyeing process. Just make sure to bring some cold hard cash, as these leather saviours don't take cards! Totally worth the drive out to the burbs for this one! Only set me back $50- so so so worth it. read more

Did a great job on a pair of heels I managed to mangle in Chicago during a snowstorm. I completely lost a double stacked heel and he was able to make it look as good as new. Waiting on a suitcase repair. Seems to overpromise on finish times even though it didn't take him too much longer to complete the work. I would call ahead before picking up. He's personable and I like that he tells me exactly what he's going to do for repairs so there aren't any surprises. read more

Always. Always superb work. I've been having my shoes serviced here for over a year and all I can do is smile and shake my head when I get them back. I say Ta myself. That damn Jonny. Its always a pleasure to have someone who works on your shoes/ or personal items takes as much pride in your things as you do.. Thanks for your hard meticulous work Jonny. read more

I needed my suitcase repaired on short notice. Yony replaced two swivel wheels at a fair price. My suitcase was finished as promised. I used it on my vacation & it was good as new. I would definitely recommend his business. read more

A1 is overpriced, requires cash up front, and is never open when the the owner says he is going to be open. Yony's motto should be "I like to over promise and under deliver". As soon as I get my shoes back I will NEVER go there again. Furthermore, the only reason he could possibly have favorable reviews is that a friend wrote it for him. Beware! read more