For small repairs on shoes that you don't care much about -- the price is cheap and they deliver good quality craftsmanship. The issue is that they never meet their deadlines. I thought this time, if I give a month deadline it would be fine. Month goes by and no texts, no updates. They don't pick up calls so there is no way to check besides going there in person. When I finally lugged myself there, they couldn't fine my shoe! They looked for ~15 minutes and when they finally located it, obviously no repairs have been made. At that point I was just thankful that my shoes weren't lost forever and left. I don't understand why they even bother to have a notebook where they supposedly keep track of their work....I'm torn about this place since they did great work on my shoes before with reasonable price but I'm just getting tired of never getting my shoes on time. I am done. read more

I really wanted to like this place, really wanted there to be a quality shoe repair joint close to my neighborhood. This isn't it. Or maybe it is, but I'll never know, because nearly two months after drop off, and one month past the due date, they still hadn't started to replace the heels on my boots. When I showed up in October, eager to support a local business, a customer was reading them the riot act because they had lost his shoes. Should have taken that as a bad sign. But I liked how charming the shop looked, with various western belts and saddles adorning the rustic, adobe stuccoed walls, and shoes and boots piled high on every surface. "Surely they have a system," I thought. Maybe they do, but it didn't work in my case. Since they don't answer the phone, I wasn't able to easily inquire about the status of my repair, or maybe claw my way to the front of the queue. Today I finally made my way there in person, expecting the work to be done and...nope. Nada. I have no idea how things are organized here, and it took him a while to even locate my shoes. He said he hadn't gotten to them yet and could have them done tomorrow, but I just didn't believe that would happen, or that the rushed work would be up to par. I took my boots and left. So again, maybe he's great, and the homespun environment is worth the hassle, but I wouldn't go there if you actually need your shoes fixed in a reasonable amount of time. Pros: * Quirky local place, which I assume is owner/operated * They have a 15-minute green curb drop off zone out front...very convenient, but ultimately a waste * Located on a beautiful block in the Castro, closest shoe repair to the Mission Cons: * They over-promise and under-deliver. If you're too busy, just decline the work...I can respect that, and adjust my expectations accordingly * Lousy/zero communication * For some reason, they have a bench blocking customers from entering the store that was set up for COVID, but I guess they prefer that vibe. I personally avoid businesses that do this sort of thing in 2025. read more

I really should not waste my time writing a review but I was pushed to the limit by this so called shoe repair shop. I swore I would never go again after the last bad episode with losing my shoes and promising to complete shoes then one month later still waiting. That was the first time now the second time it was all of those things PLUS bad craftsmanship and ruining my shoes that now I can never wear my favorite shoes again. I did. pt even ask for anything in return I just wanted my shoes back and never come back here again. I am livid. On top of losing the shoes twice and a longer wait than promised I was treated rudely and gaslit. NEVER use this shoe repair unless you want your shoes ruined, lost and you will be treated with disregard. read more

I bought a pair of expensive sandals that were final sale only to realize when I received them that there was a very stiff hard backing on the woven material that goes over the foot in front. I took them to Pioneer Renewer, where they carefully removed the backing and now the shoes are soft and comfortable. Their service is fast, reliable, cheerful, and reasonably priced. Highly recommend. read more

Worst experience with a show repair shop. My experience is the same as other written complaints! Dropped my boots off to have the soles of heels replaced. Cobbler said they would be ready in 3 weeks. I went to pick them up on the day they were to be ready. He could not find them! After combing through bags all over the store floor, they were finally found! It took between 8-10 minutes to locate. They were not even worked on! He said I could pick them up late the following day. I refused and ask for them back. These boots cost me over $500.00 dollars and they were left on the floor under a pile of other shoes! Never will go back. Save yourself the anxiety. Bad news! read more

WARNING! Used for a few years and this is first time walking away disappointed. You need to be VERY CLEAR when dropping off your shoes that you expect to have the same heel/sole as when you dropped them off. He turned very expensive John Varvatos dress shoes into street wear with a rubber sole that looks like a Timberland. Now I need to do it all over again. read more

Al is the best in the business and has taken care of me and friends for many years - he is amazing at restoration and just fixed two pair of boots with hollow heals replacement. history; Established in 1920 The name The Pioneer Renewer was etched into the window glass in the shop When I took it over in 1991. As I understand it, the 4501- 18th Street location has been a Shoe Repair shop since the 1920's. Some of the existing equipment may date back that far. The older shoe repair equipment was made of cast iron and still works! read more

Old school craftsmanship. Takes pride in his work. Be ready to have it take a long time but wait is worth it. Great guy has been there decades. read more

I had two old pairs of Birkenstocks resoled at Pioneer Renewer and the cobbler did a great job. And it was reasonably priced. It took six weeks but I wasn't in a rush so it didn't matter. Now that my favorite Birkenstocks are re-soled I can wear them for another five years at least. The cobbler was knowledgeable and helpful. In today's disposable society it's getting harder and harder to find repair shops in general. Support your local shoe repair shop if you happen to live in the area! read more

Why the heck have I been going downtown for my shoe repair needs when this local gem is right around the corner? We do whatever we can to patronize businesses in our neighborhood and after this most recent experience we have no reason to go anywhere else. They do great work, offer reasonable pricing and timing, AND they have treats for dogs, you guys. They are also the kind of friendly, honest folks who will give you options or even talk you out of something you might not really need. read more

I truly can't believe my experience here. I dropped a nice pair of leather boots off a month ago to have the heel tightened and both shined. They were due for pick up on 11/12 and I was told I would also receive a text to confirm when they were ready. 11/19 rolls around and I have to walk over to the shop to check in because they do not answer the phone + vm is full. The cobbler told me that they weren't ready but he also visibly could not locate my boots anywhere. He told me to wait for a text, I said sure and left. Jump to today, 11/30, still no text & I've been calling regularly for over a week looking for an update-but still no answer. Since no one answers the phones no matter what, I had to leave work early today to go back to the shop only to find out he never fixed them. It also took him a full 5-7 min to finally locate them: they were kept *ON THE FLOOR* in a plastic bag..for a month (???) He handed them back to me with new wrinkles in the leather, looking way worse than when I had dropped them off. I'm leaving this review in hopes that it saves someone from having an absolutely terrible experience that results in stress, disappointment and wasted time. read more

Zero stars. Could not have had a worse experience. I bought in a pair of cowboy boots for a themed wedding to have the calf stretched. I came to pick them up 2 weeks later and the work was not done. There is no time to fix this before Saturday. I have nothing to wear for my cousins wedding. The owner has ruined my weekend. Do not trust him. Never take anything important here. read more

Top skills and timely completion of shoe repairs. Reasonable prices too. Highly recommend.

I've used them in the past and they did good but slow work. But now I've had it. I dropped off a pair of boots on April 8 to be re-soled; he said they'd be ready on 4/22. Tried to pick them up on 4/29, not ready yet. Went back two more times after that; the first time he said they weren't ready, the second he claimed they were ready - but he couldn't find them in the store. I went back again just now - 7 weeks after dropping them off - and he found them. He hadn't even started on them. He offered to get them done this afternoon, but I said no and asked for them back. Not going here ever again. read more

Same experience others have reported here. Dropped shoes off for new heels, given slip, they're not ready when I go to pick up. Then told I'll receive a text when ready. Two more weeks go by. They don't answer to phone or return my calls. read more

I worked for this owner. He's an incredible cobbler and respectful. His son is also learning the trade. He comes from a family of artists. His creative work and repair of painted leathers is amazing. He repaired the toes od blue alligator skin boots and I couldn't tell where they had been ruined. I'm a costume designer by trade. I'm use to looking for design faults. You can't go wrong with Pioneer Renewer! read more

This tiny little shop of shoes is a neighborhood gem. I've been going here for several years and, although his turnaround can be tediously slow, he is uber professional at shoe repair, refurbishment and care. I just received back two pair of expensive heels that were due to be donated if they couldn't be made more comfortable. This man is a genius - my shoes now not only look fabulous but they also have new comfy soles. Super impressed! read more

Went for the first time last week and had a great experience. Not only did they quickly fix my heels, but my dog also got a treat and to hang out with the store dog. read more

The folks at Pioneer Renewer have been fixing and re-soling my shoes for years, and each time I'm totally delighted by the results. Everyone should have a trusted go-to cobbler, and if you live in the Castro, Mission, or other environs nearby, I strongly recommend Pioneer Renewer as yours! read more

It's a real shame that I have to write this in regards to a local business during a pandemic, but here we are. I brought 2 pairs of heels in to take an inch off and get the rubber stops replaced. I was told it would be a couple weeks but not a problem for them to complete the order and they would text me with updates. Two weeks went by and no updates. I stopped in and he let me know that he didn't 'know if he could do the job'. He has already sawed off an inch on the shoes but they were built in a way he wasn't used to. He told me he 'might be able to do it'. I was pretty confused and asked if he wanted to just give me a refund and go somewhere else? He said no and that he would figure it out. The shoes were completed a couple of days later and I stopped by to have another pair worked on. He said he didn't want to do anymore of my orders because they weren't 'easy' and he had to spend too much time on them. I would have happily paid him for his time. He is unorganized, poor at communication, and wishy washy. This isn't how you run a business or work with customers. read more

My recent experience at the Pioneer Renewer was very positive. I needed the soles of my boots glued back on. Not only was the work completed on the promised day, but I received a text message the day before notifying me that the shoes were ready for pickup. Years ago, I wasn't always sure my shoes would be ready on time, and the only way to find out was to call or visit the shop, so this recent experience shows an improved level of communication with customers. read more

Fast and well priced. I Gad a straightforward shoe repair done in a week. They text when it's ready

I cant live without a good shoe repair. I love to pick up my favorite pairs from Pioneer Renewer.. They give all my shoes second, third, forth lives.. They dont like when you are in a hurry and its a cash only place. Prices are affordable, quality of work is outstanding.Parking is upfront. They are awesome!!! P.S. Im seating in the car waiting on my favorite purse repair while writing this. Same day service special!! Thank you guys so much for keeping it real:) read more

Highly recommended, but I really don't want you to come here since these guys are so busy they may not get around to my repairs. I have a very nice bag that came with a not-very-nice faulty zipper. The damned thing could never close. I finally took it to Pioneer Renewer after a friend recounted her favorable experience of her leather jacket's zipper repair. Let me preface this to say I dropped off my bag, given a quote for repair ($15), a ticket, then told to come back same time next week. The guy didn't charge me upfront --nice. I return the following week, but alas, he didn't touch my bag. Being that I Barted in from the East Bay, I wasn't too thrilled. Somehow the owner made magic happen... in less than an hour, he replaced the slider with a better quality YKK version, and made a stylishly awesome leather pull right before my eyes (see my photo). By the looks of the delicious leather shoes lining the walls, these guys are trusted. Make sure to take note of the cool vintage stuff mounted above the shoes. read more

Pioneer Renewer - Pioneer Renewal faulty luggage zipper in less than an hour, and made this awesome leather pull right before my eyes. - Shoe Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

I can't rave enough about this place. Small, craftsmen approach to shoe repair. I've taken old, worn, nearly dead shoes over the years and am always amazed at the quality of workmanship upon return. While expensive, if you want to get the longest lifetime out of a pair of dear shoes, this is the place to entrust them. read more

Pioneer Renewer - Shoe Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Al, the business owner, is wonderful and incredibly kind. I brought my shoes here to get repaired. He answered all my questions and gave good recommendations on what dress shoes to buy. I'll be coming back to him with all my shoe repair needs. read more

These guys are awesome! Total throwback, but they did text me when my son's boots were ready. Prices aren't necessarily a throwback, but they're very fair and it is conveniently located since my guy in Noe Valley shut down. Additionally, the repair was made in a day. My guy in West Portal can take over a week. Thanks! read more

I am very grateful for their excellent craftsmanship. Many pairs of shoes of mine have been saved by Pioneer Renewer! The prices are very fair, also. This business is a valuable resource in our neighborhood and has been for many years. read more

Pioneer Renewer did a fantastic job on a bunch of shoe repairs -- I always walk through the back of the sole first, and they saved my Birkenstocks and 2 pairs of supergas! Plus fixed the strap on my favorite boots. I will definitely be coming back again the next time I inevitably walk through the soles of more shoes. Bonus - they take card! read more

Cosy old-timey shoe repair. Owner described in detail how he'd fix my boots. Was also down to repair my bag handle that had come off. Would come again! read more

I am so disappointed by the way this business has gone downhill recently. I can no longer recommend them, nor will I ever bring my shoes to them again. Recently, I brought in a pair of boots to be resoled, and had a conversation with the man working the counter about replacing the leather pads inside that had come unglued. He encouraged me he could simply re-glue them. He said give them two weeks. Four weeks later, I came in to find they hadn't even started working on them yet, and was told, "I'll text you," and that they "always do that." News to me. And I don't see the point if there is a completion date written on the claim tag. Four more weeks go by (it's been eight weeks now) and no call. I go in. They are ready. I have never been texted. The new soles look good, but the original leather pads inside are gone in one shoe, and floating around loosely in the other. Instead, there are two new pads inside that only cover the heel. When I ask about this, the guy gets all pissy and actually offers to take them back. After eight f-ing weeks, there was no way I was giving them back. $98 later I come to notice that one of the toes on my black boots was polished with dark brown polish. These guys have lost me for good. It's a shame. read more

I hate writing this, but here we are. Without belaboring the details, here's my take: If your repair is very simple, say new heels or gluing something back, but absolutely nothing special or different, then you will likely be 5-star satisfied. However, if you love your shoes or they are expensive or even remotely special (embellishment, texture, color, cherished), DO NOT bring them here. You will be sadly disappointed. Yes, the guy is nice (although apathetic). I'm ok that he was unaccountable to his own timeline (or pretty much anything), I was prepared and asked lots of questions so I understood what would be done. I had to remind him about every detail of promised but forgotten work, which delayed it further, and even this didn't really bother me. However, when I pointed out how very different than expected (not in a good way) the result was, despite his sketchy memory, he somehow recalled that they looked exactly the same as prior to him treating them. He did not apologize even when shown that no, they did not. He never acknowledged that the treatment fundamentally changed the shoes. He seems to have been in business a long time and is clearly very busy, but either he is woefully unskilled or just doesn't care. Whichever it is, I'm on the losing end of this. Save yourself the disappointment. read more

This place is a throwback, and pricey. I needed the heels of some boots redone and this place had the best reviews. Inside, it's kind of amazing -- there are 1-2 guys really working with their hands, leather good everywhere and machines that must be from the 1500s. It's quite a sight. They did a great job on my boots -- look good as new and they polished them as well. The downside? the price -- i paid more for the new heels than I did my boots. $75 was pretty steep imho. read more

TERRIBLE and RACIST place of business. Owner is extremely SLOW. Said he would have my shoes done in two weeks. Went to pick them up and they were not finished and he had no explanation as to why except "I'm backed up from February." If he would have kept me in the loop of what was going on with my shoes it would have been fine, but he did not and wasted my time. He gave me my money back and told me "he didn't want any trouble" after I asked for an explanation as to why my shoes weren't done and why he didn't give me a heads up that it would take longer. He for sure said this because I am a black woman. Not sure why this place is rated so high. The shop even looks chaotic and disorganized. I advise you all to go somewhere else. read more

I don't write much negatively on the Internet but I feel obligated to as a service to the community. Many issues here: As instructed, I left my boots there and they said the would re-sole for $65. Sounds like a good deal, thanks. The next day I get a call (no caller ID) from the "owner" on a phone line that was very difficult to hear, telling me that there would be a $15 extra and it would take 3 weeks. At that point, my boots were already there, so what could I do? 3 weeks later I get a text from owner saying they're not ready. I respond "when will they be ready?" No reply. I text again the next day. No reply. I call both his cell (no voicemail box) and the store - no answer. So that's where I am now. My receipt says "Not responsible for items left over 30 days". Tomorrow will be day 30; they have my boots hostage so now I have to go back to the store to see what's going on. Very unprofessional and frustrating. I don't recommend this place; better to pay the extra $10-$20 and deal with a professional. read more

Excellent Service took 2 pairs of boots and a pair of dress shoes. The boots really needed a new heal and he did an amazing job of making them look new. All 3 pairs look brand new. Definitely recommend. read more

I love this shop. I've had them do a range of work from basic shoe repair to replacing zippers and other random bits, as well as altering belts. A business that truly honors the craft seems to be harder and harder to find, and this is one that certainly does. Their organizational system could be improved, this is true. I've had to wait a bit longer than originally told to pickup my items. If you evaluate every business like you would Amazon Prime or Instacart, then maybe go back to living in a purely online world. The rest of us who like this shop won't miss you. read more

DO NOT EVER GO HERE. I wish I would have listened to the other recent one star reviews! Over a month to get shoes back for a simple heel replacement. I checked in with them multiple times and they hadn't even started on them after 3 weeks. Stopped in once and they searched for my shoes for 10 minutes before finding them on the floor in a pile with others. Shoes were returned crumpled with deep creases in the leather. The laces were haphazardly put back. They are too busy and don't care about the quality of their work. Never again. read more

When I went in to pick up two pairs of boots one of them was missing. It took 45 minutes of me searching thru every bag of shoes awaiting pick up from their owners to find my missing boot. It was in a bag with a man's pair of biker boots. Pretty darned careless I think, don't you? What if that man had picked up his boots and didn't bother to return mine to Pioneer? Service ranges from friendly to totally NOT. Shoe repairs are generally good. read more

I finally got my shoes back and was hoping to up my rating, but I can't. Because they never answer their phone, I had to bike to the store to find out what the deal was since it had been another week and still no word on my shoes. The guy looked around for a while before he found them; they had not been touched since I dropped them off and as far as I could tell, they had been forgotten about entirely. I was going to take them somewhere else, but when he said he could get them done that day I figured I would give it one more shot. I went back to pick them up and my gray boots were now black. He was not very apologetic about losing my shoes, or making them darker. He said they had been dirty and thought they were black. Hopefully this is a one off instance, but I can't get myself to bring any shoes back. read more