Cecil is a nice man. I took 4 pairs of women's boots and heels in for minor repairs. I am happy with the service, but it took a very long time (5+ weeks? it was around the holidays) for all 3 to be complete. It was a little more pricey than I expected (I think $14-20 per pair for heel 'cap' replacement, gluing the sole, etc). The operation isn't overly sophisticated, which is part of the charm of the place, but is also confusing to me and his employees. If you bring in 4 pairs of shoes, you will get 4 different phone calls telling you they are done- usually from different people, so I had to explain that I have 4 pairs, waiting for them all to get done, etc 3 times. It's not a first in first out, so there was a 2 week span between the first call and the fourth. Make sure you do not lose your tickets!!!! Save them and protect them like a baby kitten. Or take a picture so you have a record. read more

I travel a lot and my roller bag zipper broke on the way home. I had a week before my next trip and didn't think there would be any way it could be repaired in time. It was done in less than 48 hours! $12.50 instead of $150 for a new bag. I was so grateful! read more

The best!! Emergency baseball glove repair between tourney games. No one else could be bothered with such a trivial repair - but Cecil respects his customers. read more

I have been twice, first time was for adding rubber soles to a pair of leather sole pumps, very good work for a reasonable price. Second visit was today, to punch an extra hole on my purse strap. This took about 3 minutes. While I cannot compare with other shoe repairs in town, this place will definitely get the job done right. read more

These guys are great. Craftsmanship and courtesy, good prices. What else could you ask for? read more

One of Cecil's employees butchered the zipper on my filofax. I went back to point out that it would no longer lay flat and there were damaged teeth beneath the slider and a wire sticking out where it wasn't before their ham fisted attempt at repair and all I got were excuses regarding how it had originally been assembled followed by a claim that to repair it by hand would cost $500. I was doing business with the real Cecil back in the 1970s and I do not plan on going back to the place on Odana Road because they seem to be living off the reputation of how things used to be. Do not take anything of value to the son of Cecil! read more

I took a purse in to have it repaired... took it in on a monday and was told it would be ready the next week on Tuesday. Well it is now friday and it has YET to be even started! All i can say is wow! Not the way to do business if you ask me! read more

Ok, BAAAAD customer service, Cecil! Dropping off full leather tall boots to be stretched with a 7 day time-frame and you did NOT even touch them? I had dropped off 2 pairs of boots and asked if the one pair that needed stretching would be done for pick up in 1 week as I needed them for an event. Elderly Cecil shrugged and the tall woman said it can take longer for the leather to stretch. I told the woman they are very close to being able to zip up my 'athletic' calf but wanted to tuck in leggings to have more room. She said I should be fine with the 7 days to stretch. Turns out they did not attempt to work on them. AND could care less that I had requested them done for an event! Made me feel as if I was the one putting him out by saying "I asked and you told me these would be done by today".... Will not be going to this old bugger again. read more

Well, I am not one to complain. But I felt like my shoes were held hostage. I dropped them off 8 weeks ago and hadn't heard anything. So three weeks ago I stopped in and he said he would work on them and call. Another week went by and I heard nothing, so I stopped in again. He stated new soles were be put on, I said this was odd since I only needed heels. At this point I asked if I could see my shoes, I couldn't because they were on a machine?! I stopped back two days later, no one could find my shoes! I said they were on the stretcher yesterday! Well, they found them and they had never been worked on. Another worked said he would have them done in an hour. I drove back and finally did get my shoes. I would never, ever recommend this place of business. The service was rude and there was not organization in the shop at all. After this experience, I later learned there is a shoe repair store on the east side of Madison. Note: while I was in for the 4TH time to get my single pair of shoes, another customer was in looking for her shoes and from overhearing the conversation with the owner (?) she stated she has made 3 trips in and really wants her shoe that have been in their shoe for weeks. My experience was like a Saturday Night Live skit! Go to another shoe repair store, read more

It's all about integrity and accepting responsibility. Everyone makes mistakes, honest businessmen own up to them. I brought in a shoulder strap for my new Kate Spade bag that needed to be shortened. I discussed "how much" and "where", and watched the old guy who runs the place put the tag on the strap where I had placed a line to indicate where the leather needed to be cut. At the time of pick-up it was discovered that the wrong portion of the two piece strap had been shortened and it was now esthetically impossible to wear the bag in either of the desired positions: neither over one shoulder,nor across my chest. The old guy offered no solution other than "I shortened the strap". Indeed he had, but in the process he ruined it. The Kate Spade store has generously stepped in to try to replace the now unusable strap. read more

I need to add my voice to those people who are very disgusted with Cecil's. It is clear that he is overwhelmed by the amount of work that is coming in but that means he should stop taking in new shoes until he deals with the ones he has. I brought a pair of shoes to Cecil's in mid October. They were supposed to be done in two weeks. I went back a month later and he could not find them. I came back two weeks after that and he again had to do a major search before he found them buried (and crushed out of shape) in a crate of shoes. I took them back and will go to another shoe repair store. I really doubt that he would've ever gotten to these shoes in the next six months. There was another customer there too who clearly was in the same situation. I would sincerely warn you away from this shoe repair store. read more

Have been going to Cecil's for years and is a great place!! Cecil is a very nice man and always provides great service, is honest and the prices are very fair. Would definitely recommend. read more

I always went to Cecil's. The last time I went there, I took in two pairs of boots. one pair a dressy boots and the other were snow boots. the dressy pair needed to have the black rubber put back onto the heel ( approx 1/4" diameter/tiny) and the heel of the snow boots were wearing down. 1 MONTH went by and I called to find out what was happening. They couldn't find them but would look. another week went by and I called to say that I would like to pick them up and take to a shop that was closer to me. I was given a bit of an attitude, said that if they couldn't find them, I couldn't possible pick them up~which is true, but I thought that they would have found them in that week. another week went by and I was called to say that they were done. The dress boots were fine. The snow boots were a disaster. They took off the 1/2" heel and slapped on a cut out piece of leather onto both heels. I didn't like the looks of them but didn't say anything. I was charged $79 which was horribly expensive. I put the snow boots on and I felt like my heel was touching the ground and they had lost some of the traction. Luckily I use them for walking only~within two days, one of the boots lost it's new 'heel' so I got to walk in the snow without any protection on my left heel since it WAS a HOLE there underneath the leather patch. which explains why I felt like I was walking barefoot in them. I got Shoe Goo glue and put the patch back on. within another week, the other patch had fallen off but luckily I was closer to home so I didn't freeze that heel as bad. used the shoe goo again and to date, both are staying on BUT I MISS THE HEEL SUPPORT FOR MY FOOT!!! read more

After Cecil Burke died, I made the mistake of bringing my Lucchese boots (which I bought from Cecil in 1980) in to be re-soled. When I got them back, the welt was damaged almost beyond repair, but that wasn't all. The instep on both boots had been sliced, clearly by careless use of the stand/anvil, and that was blamed on the leather being old and worn. Never going back. read more

I visited Cecil's West for the first time last week. I had a pair of flat riding boots that was too wide and tall at the shaft plus a purse with a loose handle. I went to Cecil's and showed him the boots. He gave me great advice about the boots, and prevented me from ruining them by moving or adjusting items on the boot that would have made them look worse. He was the voice of reason, and was not going to undertake a job that would not make me happy at the end! I really appreciated that! He did a great job on my purse. I highly recommend this for any shoe/purse repairs! read more

This guy is a jerk! He would not do what I asked him to do even though I kept asking for it a certain way. He claims he left me numerous messages which he never did and needed for my daughter to come in and try on boots before he would do work even though he was with me the first time and did what he asked. Grumpy only man! read more

the best place ever. will extend the life of your shoes for a low cost

The craftsmenship is pretty good and the price is right but don't go there if you're in any time constraint. I am talking if you have less than three months. Sure the old man at the counter will tell you two weeks out but after a month you call and he will let you know they have been really busy and haven't got your shoes wait a couple weeks call back they tell you they will rush your shoes into high priority list which generally means you're about a month out. read more

Always great service and a good value. Highly recommended for many repairs including shoes, luggage, and clothes.

I just needed a snap fixed on a hand-me-down leather jacket, and the guy in the store fixed it while I waited, in probably 5 minutes. $3.50 - I spent more in gas driving out there. I know this is a trifling repair, and not much to base a review on, but I did want to acknowledge the good experience I had. read more

Stopped in to see if he could fix my dog's leather leash. He didn't say much, but , he took the leash to the back, sewed it up, and didn't charge me a thing read more

Fast, very reasonable price. Re-attached straps on a fancy leather backpack purse that broke within the first month of purchase (shame on the original manufacturer!). Cecil had it repaired with no evidence. Now it's usable again. The ultimate green is to keep using existing stuff. read more

I bought my first pair of custom leather sandals from Cecil over 40 years ago & they are still in great shape!!!! I have taken many shoes in for repair, suitcases, ski bags. There's no end to what he can do & at a very reasonable price. He can NEVER retire! read more

I took a pair of torn suede slippers there for repair. They did an excellent job and were not too expensive at all. I have some other shoes I am going to take there to get fixed up. I highly recommend Cecil's. read more

They did a great job re-stitching a pair of my work shoes, saved me about 80 bucks on a new pair. Love that place! Very nostalgic also to go into his store. read more

I dropped off my Birkenstocks at Cecil's and was told that they would be ready within a couple of weeks. But to my surprise Cecil called me within twenty hours of dropping them off! I had been wearing my Birkenstocks for over four years - I thought they were beyond repair - but Cecil returned them to me looking almost new. He even gave me some advice on how to take better care of them in the future. The best part was that it only cost my $38, a lot better price than $150 for a new pair. I would highly recommend Cecil's to anyone looking for Birkenstock repair; I know that I will be a glad returning customer the next time I need a shoe repair of any kind. read more

I took my boots in for new heels Oct. 29. They said they were busy and wouldn't have them ready until the week after Thanksgiving. The week after Thanksgiving they were not done. I checked again Dec. 13. They said they would call when they were ready. At this point I needed them by coming weekend and told them. No one called. I called again Dec. 15. They said they needed to check status and would call back. They called back the same day and said they couldn't find them but had it narrowed down to 3 possibilities and asked me to come in to identify them. I told them I would come in Friday afternoon, Dec 16, to pick them up, done or not, because I needed them for the weekend. On Friday I went to the shop to identify the boots. However, they didn't show me any boots. They said my boots must be progress but couldn't verify it. The vendor was not pleasant and wouldn't look for the boots or provide additional information. On Dec. 17 the boots were completed. The workmanship was good and the price was very reasonable. However, I cannot recommend this business. read more

I dropped off my boots, which needed only 1 heel repaired, at the end of November and was told they would be ready on the 14th of December. They told me they would call when my boot was repaired. After a week and a half passed by the 14th, I called Cecil's to find out what was going on with my boots. They took a message and said I'd get a call back. I did not. I called a 2nd time, again, a message was taken down, but no call back. Then I personally stopped in and again, was told I would be given a call back. Of course, no one called back. I call again and inform them that I want my boots back, whether they had been repaired yet or not. I was tired of the run around and avoidance of my inquiries. In response, another message is taken and I was told I would be called back in an hour or so. No one called me back. I then get a message the next day that my boots are ready to be picked up. I go in to find my information attached to a completely different pair of shoes. The pair they "claimed" were mine were completely different and no where near the quality of the boot I dropped off. Mine don't have zippers or buckles and are real suede leather. The pair they insisted were mine had zippers and were plastic. And dont even get me started on the size of the boot itself!!! The gentleman helping me tried to convince me they were MY boots. Are you kidding?? He of course then says, "they'll call me tomorrow." Hmmm, really??! How can a place that runs like this still be in business?? Im still waiting to receive MY boots, repaired or not. DO NOT take your belongings here unless you're looking to donate or down grade to someone else's cast offs. FURIOUS. I dont even want to give them one "eek" star. read more