Placed an online order 2 weeks ago and have a question about fulfilment speed and shipment. Sent multiple emails, made numerous phone calls to get in touch with someone - no response. read more

We just walked in without an appt 3hr before closing time and we were still welcmed warmly. We just had to wait for a bit since there were 2 other customers ahead of us, but we were graciously warned abt it when we came in. And it was a joy to watch Tara do the fittings for the ladies ahead of us that we really didnt mind waiting. Tara is a gem-- took the time to look and understand the needs and preferences of the dancers, and would offer up some useful recos. She is really the best type of person that should represent such esteemed brand. read more

I only wish that I could visit their store! One day, I hope to have that chance. But this review is based upon their fantastic customer service, as we are 3,000 miles apart, yet I was treated as if I walked in, had money and knew what I was doing ;) My young adult children are dancers. They dance almost 20 hours a week, each, and do every style available to them. Ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, modern, Taiko drumming, musical theater and tumbling. And any specialty class that comes their way. In doing so, they began competing in an annual event from the Royal Academy of Dance - the RAD Dance Challenge. They both placed very well and Gaynor Minden is the company that supports RAD USA. Prizes won! Whoo hoo, right? Well, yes, of course...until Mama here accidentally misplaced the certificates that contained the code that enabled them to obtain the gifts. These folks are of course in a different time zone, which complicates a phone call ("issues" due to a multitude of things, not a part of this review), so I took a chance and emailed them, asking if I could (when I had the certificates) send them the information and handle it that way, via email. They said sure, no problem - please take a picture and we'll send them along to you. Well, then I lost the certificates and had to tell them, fully expecting that it was too bad for the kids - mama, you screwed up. Nope! They knew who I meant! They said no problem, asked their sizes and even worked with the prize for my son as they cater to a more traditional female dancer. The items are on their way :) I'd like to mention Adrianna Aguilar and Karen Lacy, as they were the two women that I worked with online, and were kind and patient with me. Truly excellent customer service, and I value that highly. Thank you - all that work there, but you both that handled me especially. It goes a long way...literally in this case! read more

Lovely, super accommodating and passionate staff! Really nice shop once you get inside but a little tricky to find and get in. I went to just get a pair of warm up pants but the shop was quiet so ended up asking if I could receive a fitting and they said yes! My fitter was so passionate about getting the right fit and even though the first shoes we tried were a very good fit, she tried about 6 more to get the perfect fit! I'm super excited to try out my first pair of Gaynor's to see how they differ. Also I got the pants! read more

It's a little hard to find, very small shop. However the quality and knowledge of the product is great! Friendly and very helpful!

Great selection of dance wear and shoes. What I like is that there's a limited selection and everything is good quality - just a matter of selecting what you want and the size. No sorting through tons of junk to pick the one good thing for yourself. Limits mistakes on purchases of which I have plenty. The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable. read more

I brought my friend visited NY who love taking a ballet class as a hobby for a few days and it was her very first visit in NY. She wanted to go to this store to having a point shoes fitting first time in her life. The store is very un-look like open retail store and fitting is only by appointment. I made a appointment over the phone for my friend cuz she can't speak english, the stuff was very nice thought. We went there and start fitting for her, the stuff who took care of her was very very friendly and have a knowledge of the point shoes and dance. My friend were really satisfied what she had as a service and shoe itself. She said the advised was very helpful and she felt very comfortable in there. I'm glad I brought her and I'm highly recommended this store! read more

My shoes came in pretty quickly, about 4 weeks after I ordered them. I went in to try them on and I'm very glad that I did, because they were not the right shoes for me. The back was too low on my heel and it kept falling off my foot. But the gal was very patient and I was there for another 30 minutes trying on different styles to find the right pair. Finally, I found the right pair and walked out with my first set of pointe shoes. I really liked the sleek shoe, but I wanted a shorter vamp, which the sleek does not come in. So I got a shoe in the pink bag (stiffer shoe than the one that was ordered) with a shorter vamp. It took me another four months of training in half-pointe in a beginner pointe class, but I finally made it into the pointe shoes. And they actually were not as bad as I thought. So far, I'm happy with my decision to try GM's for the first shoes. read more

I've been doing adult ballet for a hobby regularly for close to 4 years now and have done some pointe exercises, albeit with much ambivalence. The Chacott Verona I picked up in Japan last year were kind of a fail - I bought them without being able to communicated much with the stores clerk, resulting in a first pointe shoe experience that was rather disappointing. So given the chance to spend a weekend in NYC, I decided to book an appointment at GM to try to give pointe work a second chance. Elizabeth answered the door. Sensing trepidation, she was very accommodating and encouraging with me. We spent about an hour there, trying on different shoes and she was relentless in getting a perfect fit. She noted things like whether the foot was over the box or not and check whether there were any sinkage. As a recreational dancer, I was never sure that I ever wanted to pursue pointe work. However, I am feeling much more confident about it in these shoes mostly because of her! The shop was located in a Brownstone like other's have mentioned and it felt like I was visiting a friend in her flat. There were a few garment selections as well and the cost for the items were commensurate with the quality. One thing to note was that everything was made in New York! Overall it was a fun, intimate, and comfortable fitting experience, what one might imagine shopping would be like with a wise and caring sibling in a secret hideout. I can't say enough good things about Elizabeth who was extremely professional, considerate, and competent. What a wonderful fall afternoon in the city! read more

Wow, what a difference. Got fitted for Gaynor Mindens after years on Grishkos and while I will continue to dance on traditional pointe shoes, I feel like Gaynor Mindens will bring a whole nother dimension to my dancing. Highly recommend anyone interested to stop by for a proper fitting as they really are very different from the traditional pointe shoe! I usually wear Ouch Pouches just for my bunion, but in the Gaynor Mindens all I need is a little cushion for the big toe. Super lightweight (even the hard shank) and very quiet, so they're great for jumps. I am loving the "Supple" shank with #3 Box and want to try the Hard shank next. read more

I am very pleased to write this update on Gaynor Minden's customer service!! As you can see from my previous review, I was contacted the very next day by Maria, and a couple of other people in charge, one being the owner of the company that actually makes the shoes. They were all very shocked and upset at how I was treated. This is how far they have gone to make it right: They offered to replace my custom order at no charge to me & refunded my initial payment! That was totally unexpected and laudable, in this day and age where money is all that matters in so many corporations. Most would have offered to replace, but not with a refund! The owner of the shoe factory has been in close contact with me for the last month. My feet are REALLY hard to fit, I am not exaggerating! They narrow to the extreme, highly compressible, and US street shoe size is 9-9.5 which I learned causes a whole different set of problems. They are also different sizes with disappearing heels, one of which is almost invisible!!! :-( The owner/maker promised to keep making the shoes until they fit perfectly, and has sent several pair already. He works closely, and it's difficult because all he has are pictures and a tracing. Hardly a 3D effect to work with!! He is extremely innovative and working on improving the fit and feel of sizes 9 and up. I am incredibly impressed and GRATEFUL beyond words to Gaynor Minden and to the extremely talented man who makes pointe shoes an art surpassing even the best makers for the largest dance companies. Thanks to GM's progressive shoe, I feel like they are hugging my feet and toes with firm but soft and giving quality pillows - there is NO PAIN, even with my extremely arthritic feet. He took that into account, too. I highly recommend these shoes to EVERYONE. Dancing on air makes a better dancer, period! Suffering is NOT a badge of honor; to dance with joy & freedom is the whole "pointe"!! This is not to be construed as an everyday situation; it seems there was one bad apple who took over my order case. From their collective reaction, it was obvious that this was not a problem they were used to having. And, my "bad" feet are very unusual. Thank you ALL at Gaynor Minden, and to the "dogged determination" (in the owner/maker's words!) of the owner of the factory. I couldn't be more grateful. Best wishes to you & your future - I hear more and more professional AND principal dancers, even in Russia & other countries are wearing them now and wouldn't go back!!! With deepest gratitude, Shannon M. read more

Gaynor Minden has some of the greatest pointe shoes ever! They want you to be as comfortable in them as possible. They will custom make your shoes so they fit just right. And their leotards!! You need some of those, they are AMAZING. No joke, some of the comfiest, nicest fitting, leotards on the market. I have yet to find I product that is unsatisfactory to me that they have exchanged for something that worked better. Also last thing, their wool blend tights are so amazing. They keep your legs warm during warm-up with out getting bulky, or gross. GREAT BUY!! I highly suggest purchasing your dancing needs (pointe shoes, leos, tights, etc.) from Gaynor Minden. You won't regret it! read more

Hi everyone: I have to admit that I am extremely pleased with GM. Yesterday we visited the boutique at NY and a sweet girl named Maria Montanez took great care of us. My daughter is very excited and can't wait to go back to her school (Fort Lauderdale Ballet Classique) and wear her new pointe shoes and leotards. I was very impressed with the technology and material they use for the pointe shoes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNl7fIAyhMk). I believe that Eliza Minden is right whe she explains that "having sore feets doesn't make you a better dancer". My daughter has very narrow feet and heel and we were able to find her a shoe that fits her great. Finally Yaaaaayyyy!!! We've been thorugh two brands without any luck but we are sure that GM are the ones for her! Thank you GM :-) ! read more

I'm a big fan of GM's dancewear -- leotards, tights, and warm-ups. They are cut well, flattering, and have that extra bit of 'flare'. I'm particularly in love with their wool warm up tights -- thin enough to maintain a nice slim line, but warm enough for those cold winter studios. And, you don't have to worry about your legwarmers falling off! Their silk collection is also fabulous -- the sweater is pretty enough to wear as 'regular clothing' -- and again thin and slimming. read more

My teacher and I made a trip to NYC to see a broadway show and visit the Gaynor Minden store. Both of us got fitted for shoes. The service was pleasant and thorough. After trying several shoes I had found a size combination that felt good and special ordered that size in white satin with seude tip. The shoes shipped to my home a few weeks later. Thanks, great service. read more

Gaynor Minden has wonderful customer service. They always work to solve any problems you might have. Thanks

My daughter has a difficult to fit foot. Her pointe shoe fitting at Gaynor Minden was like a dream. With all the combinations, the availability of a nice narrow box and the sleek fit, it was only a matter of minutes until the fitter had the correct shoe for her! Definitely worth the trip. read more

The products from Gaynor Minden are beautifully crafted. My daughter is a growing ballerina and feels like a star in her leotards. Wethere you go to her store or buy online you cant go wrong. She is getting ready for her first pair of point shoes and you know they will be gaynor mindens....Thanks read more

Amazing! Daughter got fitted for pointes in their showroom in 2008. Easy to find, nice area in NYC. Fitter was fantastic and saw everything we needed in the shoe and was able to note all of the customizations for her feet. They had the proper shoe in stock with all of the options we needed and even gave her a free poster for her room. The one on one service is not rushed like you may find in your local dance store and the extra time they took certainly helped make us a customer these last 3 years. Not being local to NYC, we had one minor fitting issue last year. We took photos and e-mailed (with the same fitter) and apparently we needed 1/2 size larger, as my daughters foot had grown just a bit. We ordered directly from them and - Bingo - that was the problem! Would highly recommend - especially dancers with banana feet! read more

So when I was about to go on pointe I made an effort to look into the shoes that I would be wearing. Imagine my surprise when i found shoes that were engineered to provide comfort and support to the dancer wearing them! I have a pair that are in great shape, which I bought a year ago and I'm looking to refit soon! read more

Gaynor Minden provides the best pointe shoes ever!!!!! I can't dance in anything except their pointe shoes; they last so long, and they are very comfortable. GM is also very reliable in their products. read more

I cannot say enough in favor of these pointe shoes, and this company, to do them justice. I have terribly low arches and have struggled in the past to make it the whole way onto pointe. In Gaynor Minden Pointe shoes, I am able to dance on pointe and for this fact, I could not be more grateful. I feel that I have much more control while dancing in these shoes and I highly recommend them to anyone and everyone. Besides the quality of the product being of the very highest level, which I truly believe they are, this company could not be better. The Staff at Gaynor Minden have always treated me with such respect and I have not received better service from any other company before. They ship their items quickly and are quick to reply to e-mails. The respect to which I mentioned before as having received from Gaynor Minden was such a pleasant surprise. I love dancing ballet very much but I am in no way a professional dancer and, in fact, I only take one dance class a week. I also should mention I do not have the typical ballet body at 5 ft. 115 lb. For these two reasons, I was a little wary when first contacted the company, thinking that they would not care much about an amateur, atypical dancer; however, I found them to be just the opposite. They have treated me with such kindness, respect, consideration, and professionalism, as if I was their most valued client. I have been touched by these pointe shoes and the Gaynor Minden company in general. If you are in need of pointe shoes, these are the ones that will make you say, "Where have you been all my life!" Get the pretty pink shoes; your going to love them! read more

My two daughters both wear Gaynor Minden pointe shoes. But they both have very wide feet. When we heard the Gaynor came out with a wider 5 box, we were excited, until we tried to find it locally (we live in another state). No one was carrying them yet. I considered driving to NY to get them, but decided to try calling the fitters. I got the most lovely fitter who went out of her way to help us. The size my daughters wear are somewhat different (wide in front, sleek in back) and I have always had to wait weeks from other suppliers. And now, looking for the 5 box, I wasn't too hopeful. Well, this nice fitter checked the warehouse which didn't have them. She then found the last pair in the boutique and said she would send them to me. I needed them in a rush, but she didn't charge any extra. Do you know... we had them within 24 hours!!! AMAZING!! I was so impressed with the care and service... we will be repeat customers for sure! Thank you! read more