I was able to drop off my slightly old Louis Vuitton purse on a Thursday afternoon and have it ready less than 48 hours later! They replaced a brass stud that had fallen off (and gotten lost) with a comparable one that isn't too noticeably different, as well as stitched a portion of the strap that had broken...all for $30! Paid via credit card BEFORE the work was done although perhaps I could have requested to pay after? Not sure. Either way I'm very satisfied and plan to use them again for shoes and other leather goods in the future. They are in the neighborhood and convenient for me although I wonder if there are cheaper alternatives out there. All in all great service! read more

My shoes are not clean. I wish I had looked up reviews before going here. The three week wait I took as a small shop with only one or two workers who take pride in their work. My shoes still have basic dirt on the bottom, and grime in the threads of the shoe. This was not a shoe cleaning. This was rinse them off with a hose and wait a few weeks. read more

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I bought shoes off of them that were Nikes. They are clearly fake as hell. They won't return them or give me my money back. read more

SCAM! Did not follow up as promised after 2 weeks with a cost estimate. It has been 5 MONTHS and I called him today. I since moved due to emergency and he had no sympathy and told me I need to come an hour across town to "identify" the shoes before he begins work. It has been months... I just wanted them to be cleaned up and now I'll never get them back. @Hans if you see this - please close your business NEVER TRUST THIS MAN read more

Scam Shop! Brought once worn shoes to be cleaned. Charged up front for the cleaning. The shoes were damaged and the owner wouldn't refund the cleaning fee. Do not use this shop! read more

Total SCAM. Don't bring expensive shoes and make sure you pick up your items within a week or they will sell them and then try to convince you that you must have already picked them up!!!! He's response to what happened to them: "women like me forget if I picked them up because we have so many shoes"- seriously? The place should be shut down. read more

The bottoms of my Versace slippers were falling apart so I brought them here. He warned me it might be a few weeks but when I finally got them back they were repaired better than I could have imagined! Very happy with them. And he made it so they wouldn't fall apart easy again. If I ever need shoes fixed again I will definitely bring them here. read more

Based on my single experiece with Han Shoe Repair, I have to give them a top rating. I got what I wanted, well executed. I see the negative reviews here, and can only suppose that I was one of the lucky customers. I had a pleasant experience with the Hans. I only dealt with Mr Han, though I did meet his wife when I was picking up my boots. The boots are a pair of very comfortable Timberland hikers on which I had worn the soles all the way to the inner layer at the heel. The uppers are still in great shape. Han showed me two possible replacement soles. One was kind of medium weight. The other option was Vibram lugged soles, which I jumped at. The boots cost enough that I was willing to pay $80 to have them re-soled. I was paying cash and he asked for $40 up front, which seemed reasonable given the amount of work involved. He gave me an expected delivery date, and beat it by a few days. The boots are still very comfortable. The soles seem to be very well fitted to the boot. All the support at the arch is the same. I did gain about a half inch of height from added thickness at the heels, but this just fine with me. I am sad that so many folks report unpleasant(!) experiences, even after years as customers. To me, the place is querky in the sort of way I kind of expect from small old-time shops. read more

Hans Shoe Repair Shop - Timberland boot after re-soling - Shoe Repair Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Love this place, have been coming for a while. i've had a pair of boots for 12+ years that Han has resoled twice.

Beautiful job of repairing shoes and bags. reasonably priced. He repaired my Minnetonka moccasins and i like them better than when I got them 6 six years ago. read more

I had been bringing shoes and boots here for a few years but I have vowed to never go back after my last visit. I dropped off a pair of boots to have the plastic tips on the heels replaced and the bottom of the toes reinforced. I did not ask to have them cleaned or polished. After I got them home and opened the package I discovered that the shaft of the boot was ripped and totally destroyed. I brought them back to the shop and was told by Mr. Han that it happened because they were not leather and I should have known that would happen. I explained that no one informed me beforehand that they would be destroyed if they worked on them because I obviously wouldn't have bothered to have them repaired for $30. He refused to refund my money and implied that it was my fault. I told him I had been going there for years and would never go back and I never will. read more

Consider this a negative 1 star rating, but it wasn't always like that. We have been customers of this shop for over 10 years. His wife who is usually at the counter knows me and my husband as long time customers. We have always been pleased with the services provided. That changed today when Uncle Han called me a liar. A few weeks ago I dropped off a vintage leather handbag that needed the handles replaced. I brought the replacement handles. It should have been a simple matter of removing the old handles and stitching on the new. The price for this service was $40. Uncle Han prefers payment, or at least a deposit up front. I gave him $30 in cash when I placed my order. Today I went to pick up my bag. Upon first look, the handles indeed had been put on. BUT I realized as I looked at my bag that the strap which was used to shut the bag was missing. The strap was like one end of a belt with holes for the metal piece to go through. The opposite side of the bag has the metal hardware like a belt buckle. There were holes in the leather where the strap had been sewn on. When I pointed this out to Uncle Han he accused me of being a liar. He said he never saw the strap on the bag. He began shouting at me. He continued to insist that he never saw a strap. He brought out his checkbook and asked if I thought we should take the matter to court, which made no sense. I also must point out that the like-new sage green fabric lining of the bag was marked with blue and black stains. Uncle Han said that he did not make those marks. Ha. So he keeps yelling, I am insisting that there was a strap etc.... when another customer walks in and is immediately surprised by the argument he is witnessing. I realize that I am not getting anywhere and am becoming frightened by the anger of Uncle Han. I decided to cut my losses and walk out with my damaged bag. I told him I was leaving,that he could keep the $30 deposit but that he had lost a longtime customer. Uncle Han was now completely enraged, shouting at me and slamming his hands on his glass topped counter. I hope the other customer didn't leave any work for Uncle Han, or at least was happier with whatever he picked up. I wonder if the glass cracked!?!? Please DO NOT TRUST UNCLE HAN. I am looking for a new shoe repair shop and plan to update this review with their name when I find it. read more

Ripoff!! If I could give zero stars I would. I took six pairs of shoes (three boots and three heels) to get re-tipped. I paid $120 and regret every penny. I've had shoes tipped (and the cleaning is usually included) for 15 bucks each. At Hans I paid $20 per pair to get dirty, unpolished shoes back. #wasteofmoney One pair I specifically said, "These are very old. I'd like them cleaned and re-soled because they're my very favorites." The lady said, "We'll make them look new!" LIES. They look exactly the same except with a heel again. Any other place would have had the sense to at least clean them. It took ten days to finally get them back and they all looked exactly the same as I left them. None were polished or cleaned and one pair of the boots got mysterious white stains (like when worn in snow) the first time I wore them on a rainy day. They literally threw a new tip on and called it a day. I can't justify taking them to another reputable cobbler since I just dropped so much money on this one. I'll just have to wait until they're due for tips again. read more

I had several pairs of shoes repaired here recently & I was quite pleased with the results! They did a great job on some pretty "banged up" shoes and I can wear my favorite pair of heels again. They usually have a few day turnaround, but the lady who took my shoes was willing to accommodate my request to have them sooner. Yes, this place is a little bit pricier that other shoe repair shops in the city, but I cannot beat the location. I wouldn't say to go out of your way to go here, but if you live nearby and need somewhere convenient to drop off your shoes, I highly recommend it. read more

Always courteous. always prompt, and good work. I brought my 15 year old Frye motorcycle boots in to be re-soled. I got them back, better than new. They do a great job, cleaning, fixing shoes, purses, luggage. Good peeps, good biz. read more

I have been a customer for a good 10 years with Mrs. Kyong and her husband. I have deviated a couple of times and used Brooks shoe repair downtown always returning to the fine quality workmanship, pricing and location of this Southport location. I just picked -up a pair of boots that they have resurrected and they look brand new!!! THE BEST SHOE/LEATHER REPAIR IN THE CITY!!!! read more

Let's sing this one to the tune of Puff the Magic Dragon: Bob the Boston Terrier, Lives in L.P., And frolicks down at Wiggly Field, With all of the doggies, Mommy and Daddy love that rascal, Bob, But when they see what he does to their shoes, He makes them want to sob, That little baby Bobbie is their pride and joy, They only wish that they could teach him, To play with just his toys. Get the picture, folks. Yeah, Bob eats, destroys and otherwise messes up a lot of our shoes. Thankfully this place is just down the street from us. They can be a little pricey, but at least it's cheaper than replacing all of the shoes that Bob messes up. They always have the shoes ready when they say they will and they do a good job. And every time Bob and I have walked into the store (yes, he is allowed in the place) with his newest mess, they have been polite and not suggested that Bob is a bad boy. Which is a good thing because that would hurt his feelings. read more

This tiny shoe repair shop is tucked away in Southport's trendy boutique corridor. I recently had the tips and heels of my black pumps repaired here and I was very satisfied with the experience. They buffed, shined up my shoes to make them appear new again. 3 days and $20 later, they looked like a new pair of shoes. They offer late hours during the week and are open on Saturdays. A great place to bring in old shoes, purses, belts, etc. 4 stars for a bit high priced shoe repair, about $20. read more

Uncle Han performs straight magic on your shoes. I have been going here for years and this place keeps me from having to buy new shoes every year (especially with Chicago winters!) Han is currently lowering a pair of heels I have to wear in a wedding. What can't this man do with shoes? I hope to never have that answered! PS: He also fixes purses! read more

Nice and friendly staff. I brought in a 7 year-old pair of dress shoes with rubber soles to be re-soled, and they are now pretty much good as new - better, in fact, because I don't have to break them in! I'm not sure what the going rate is, but $50 did seem a bit steep for a complete re-soling (heels and main soles). This did include new laces and a polish job that made them look like they were just pulled out of the box, and I hope to get at least 3-5 more years out of this pair. One issue that knocked them down a star: When re-soling the heels, they did not grind them down the same amount. The left heel was more than 1/8" higher than the right heel. You'd think this is not a big deal, but I could definitely feel it, and it started to affect my back after a week or so (I wear these shoes a lot). However, I just took them back in and while I waited they ground the taller heel down to make them even. They also carry a good variety of shoe care products, including Meltonian shoe cream. read more

As much as I enjoy supporting local and family owned businesses I will find another place to spend my money. Mr Han replaced the soles of my husband's shoes for $70 - an exorbitant price compared to prior years, but one I was willing to pay to keep my money local - but he refused to put in new laces ($3). He even argued with me about it and said he gave me a polish. Confusing as I paid for the polish as well as the new soles. There are better places out there and he has lost a customer due to this nonsense. read more

FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE If I could give negative stars, I would. I am a repeat customer of Hans with varying levels of satisfaction...until now. I took a pair of patent leather pumps in to get a small scuff mark fixed. When I got them back, the leather on the shoe that was fixed was peeling and flaking all over the shoe. I went back to ask what they had put on the shoe, and immediately the guy went on the defensive. I could make this review a novel, but I'll jump to the point. He first denied having worked on the shoe (and then I pointed out the signature mark they make on the sole that shows they did the work). He then accused me of lying about how many times I had worn the shoes and said he "didn't trust me" regarding what I was saying about the cause of the damaged shoe. After I pointed out that the shoe that they didn't buff or fix was perfectly fine with perfectly intact leather, he repeated his defense of not trusting what had happened to the shoe and/or how many times they had been worn (nearly new shoe - worn just 3 times). THE KICKER: When I asked for my shoes back, he refused to give them to me! I couldn't make this up. We literally got into a tug of war with my shoes. I asked repeatedly for him to let go, and he wouldn't. It wasn't until I said, "I don't feel comfortable in your shop anymore and I want to leave" that he let go of the shoes. It was just a very uncomfortable and slightly unnerving experience. If I were you, I'd take your shoes to BROADWAY SHOE REPAIR. read more

Hello fellow yelpers, hope everybody is doing better than me. I recently brought a pair of high end cowboy boots to Uncle Han to be cleaned up and get prepared for the winter. Well, when I returned I was perplexed and baffled that I was picking up the same boots I dropped off a week before. I felt extorted and abused by his careless work. He slapped on a dress shoe sole and stained the boots in whatever color he found the easiest. Please if you care about your shoes do not go here. read more

LOVE this place! giving five stars after only one trip but what a great trip! brought in a shoe with a broken zipper, a pair with a broken sole and really warn heels, and two additional pairs that needed to be re-heeled. they did a great job on all four and i seriously feel like i just got four new pairs of shoes! except i don't have to re-break them in... kind of stellar! the service was fantastic! the two that had to get re-heeled were something like $10 each- not bad! definitely will use them again! read more

Brought my boots in to get cleaned and polished. When I picked them up there was still dirt on the boots, and it looked like they had just applied polish to the top toe area of the boot. Basically they just threw some polish on the top and called it good. Disappointing. I will be going elsewhere next time. read more

They lady and man who run this shop are so sweet! And personally, I enjoy supporting family businesses, so this is an extra great place. Greeted with a smile, they give an honest assessment on whether they can fix whatever you've brought in, and they did a great job on both items they fixed for me. The first thing they fixed was sewing a new latch on a purse that had broken. They provided the new hardware, all for $12. Then they fixed 2 floaty rafts we had, sewing some torn canvas on it for $25. Also fair, given the floaty cost us $25 and it was a rather rare request and hard for me to find someone with the right sewing machine for this. read more

I brought in 2 pairs of heels to have the heel tips replaced. They were repaired to my satisfaction. I'll definitely go back.

I have been taking my shoes here for several years - at least, a couple times a year for a cleaning and any touch ups that need to be done. My shoes always look great afterwards and have lasted much longer with the exceptional maintenance care! read more

This isn't my favorite shoe repair place. I had a great experience elsewhere so I was already uncertain about trying Hans, but the convenience - location - factor was overpowering. I, like some others, am not a fan of having to put a deposit down when it's possible (but hopefully not probable) that my shoes could come out worse than when I brought them in. My black heels turned out nicely (caps and points fixed) but they didn't fix the bottom of my wedges like I asked them to. They wanted me to pay the remainder of the fee at that point, even though I wasn't taking both pairs of shoes with me. I'm just not a fan of that business model! When I went back to pick up the second pair, I saw that some of the suede on the upper part had been worn off from the cleaning and also that the base of the shoe had black glue marks where they had fixed the outsole. Since I have an oddly-shaped foot, I end up spending a lot of money on shoes once I finally find some that fit. I am so very disappointed that I spent so much money on one of my favorite pairs to have them not be fixed to a level of reasonable expectation. read more

Had 2 pairs of leather riding boots resoled. Dropped off on a Monday and they were ready by Friday. $50 for both. Both now look like new. I'm a satisfied customer! read more

worst shoe repair ever. I took in a pair of boots with a broken zipper and they convinced me to fix a few other things that weren't actually needing fixed. i felt like i couldn't say no. anyway, i picked up my boots and there was a hole in the leather by the zipper they had repaired. they claimed it was there when i brought it in but i'm sure they would have pointed it out with there pushy add ons. also, the zipper is barely zipping. ugh. read more

Always had a great experience here! I took shoes here years ago and recently moved a few blocks away. I tried the place on my corner and what a rip off. $20 to replace high heel tips on some ankle boots and I'm pretty sure they damaged the inside of both of my shoes! Seems ripping and fraying! I went back to Han's for my next pair to get re tipped and it was $12 total and my shoes looked brand new! Cleaned the suede and touched up scuffs. They were so beat up before I brought them to get fixed I was almost too embarrassed to get them re-tipped. So glad I did! The next week I had a zipper split on my tall black equestrian boots, I was so sad. Spent 30 minutes in the Nordstrom dressing room trying to get them to zip enough to hobble home. Took them to Han's for what I was thinking would be a few days repair, he immediately fixed them and at NO CHARGE! He gave me advice on how to fix them from splitting again and sent me on my way with a smile! I will always go back here! They accept credit cards too, $10 min. read more

Had a pair of boots taken in, got this recommendation from a friend who did the same thing. Got it back within a week and they fit and look great now. Only $32 which I think is a great price. If you look closely at the craftsmanship, in my case the stitching of the leather, don't expect to get blown away. Its good, not GREAT, but that wasn't expected. They open till 7pm which is nice for someone who works! Try them! read more

I had the cap on my heels replaced and they didn't last very long. I've been to better places.

I walked in just before the place was about to close... wearing 6 inch stiletto heels booties, where the rubber on the end was worn down to the point that the metal was exposed. They were fixed on the spot, took less than 15 minutes. PLUS they shined em all up for me! :):) read more

They do a good job here, my shoes always come back looking new. The best was when my husband, who hates shopping, wore the same pair of shoes every day for maybe 3 years running, and the shoes literally had holes on the bottom. They removed the entire sole and replaced it and he got another 2 years out of it. I've also had purse straps shortened here, and an extra holes punched in belts. The lady was very nice and didn't even charge me for punching the holes. Good place to have nearby. read more

Finally got around to getting the worn down heels on a pair of nice dress shoes fit and tried Hans for the first time. For just $30 I had both heels replaced and a nice polish in just 3 business days. I feel like I have a new pair of shoes!! read more

I never write yelp reviews, but I just had to weigh in on Han's shoe repair considering the unbelievably amazing service I received. They truly went above and beyond and I will recommend them to everyone forever as a result. Earlier this month, I brought in my absolute favorite pair of shoes (my Maison Martin Margiela oxford loafers with nail heads sunk in to the leather) a few days prior to my wedding. They needed to have some separation around the impact zone of the sole repaired, new heels and heel protectors put on, and a very thorough condition and polish. Not only did they do an amazing job of repairing them, but after a super crazy mix-up the night before my wedding when no one picked the shoes up, the owner of the store drove them to my building several blocks away, coordinated with my downstairs neighbor to get them inside, and made sure I was wearing my favorite shoes on my wedding the following day. I can't thank Han's shoe repair enough. You're amazing! read more

Could not be happier with my boots! I brought 4 pairs of Italian leather boots for cleaning and new soles. This winter just punished them, and uncle han's made every pair look like new. I am Moving further South soon but will make the trip to Southport have all my shoes fixed here! read more

I love Hans! I had about 10 pairs of shoes between my husband and I that needed various fixes. I started by just taking 3 pairs of shoes in. I have an aunt who owns a shoe repair business so I am very fussy about how things look and the quality of shoe repair. Unfortunately, this aunt lives in Ireland, so I can't take my shoes there regularly. Hans is the best equivalent to my aunt's shoe shop this side of the pond. I originally took in 1 pair of heels that needed the heel replaced and the suede fabric washed, one pair of flats that needed to be re-soled, and one pair of my husband's shoes that had a ripped piece of leather on the side. They did a fantastic job on all three pairs of shoes, such a great job that I took in 7 more pairs. Each pair needed various things done, but probably the best thing I had done was boot stretching. I have MASSIVE calves. I have the hardest time finding boots. I bought a pair of boots two years ago that fit, but they were a little bit snug. I asked Hans what they could do about it. He was able to stretch the leather so it actually FIT! They were SO patient too. He had to stretch the leather THREE separate times to get it to be comfortable. However, they were so nice about it, and they definitely didn't make me feel bad. The only gripe I have with the service was pick up. On two different occasions, I was told something would be ready on a specific date. The first time, I had 4 pairs of shoes to pick up. Two pairs were ready, one pair wasn't even started (which they knew about but didn't think to call and tell me) and one pair was a mystery. They eventually found the shoes (which hadn't been started), but it did make me a little panicked. The second time (when I walked in for the two pairs of shoes not picked up on the prior trip), one pair was ready and one pair wasn't started (again, they knew and didn't think to call). I live reasonably close so it wasn't a huge deal, but I would have appreciated a phone call to let me know that all of the shoes wouldn't be ready. I probably would have waited until all were ready and just come in at that time. I think the lack of a courtesy call moves it from 5 stars to 4 stars. read more