Man this dude is a busy guy!! I had some of old clodhopper water shoes with a solid sole. The bottoms were separating from the top. Glueing didnt work so he had the other guy with my permission just to sew it on! I only use these to hike down a hill to a river at my sis property and didn't really care about esthetics! They did the trick and thanx loads. I didnt have to buy another hard sole shoe! And they were a reasonable repair value wise! read more

Henry was very kind and his work was outstanding! I appreciated that after a less than professional experience at a shop in Federal Way. You go, Henry! read more

Excellent value, quality work, and service provided on some boots. Fast friendly service. Have had work done in the past and will continue. Henry is a great fellow & a pleaure to work with. read more

The owner does excellent work and the secret is out. I did not pay rush fees, so they repaired my two pairs of boots in about 3 weeks. But the owner communicated that to me and called to confirm my resoling requests along the way--which I appreciated. I'm proud to support a local Black-owned business. read more

HENRY IS A STANDUP MAN! I had no knowledge of the shoe repair business so I just thought it would cost me a fortune since it's sort of a dying industry. I brought in some older dress boots that had a very bad tear on the side which led to a big hole, I came in and got quoted $18'change by Henry. I was so happy to hear that it was more than affordable. A person like me could easily get duped not knowing the shoe repair business, so we fully rely on the honesty of the business owners words. So for him to only charge me $18 was more than fair considering there aren't many options to choose from especially locally close by. He could've charged me double or even triple that price and I would've still paid thinking that was just the norm for something like this. He then said come back the next day anytime after noon. I was impressed how fast the turn around was as well. The next day I come to pick it up and Henry says it's on the house. He said it was really easy for him to do and just shook my hand with such an honest gesture. He's a very kind and gracious Man. I can't thank him enough. Unfortunately it's become so rare to meet men like Henry these days in our moral decaying society and culture that it was a breath of fresh air interacting and meeting a man of Henry's stature. I can tell he lives life with tremendous honesty, and grounded discipline. He might've not thought much of our encounter since he meets so many people on a daily but he truly blessed me with his actions and gave me lots of joy. God bless you Henry. I will absolutely send all my future business here. 10 stars if I could! read more

Proctor Shoe Repair - Shoe Repair Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

I went to this shop in 2024 for 2 pairs of shoes 2 months before a vacation. I was assured they'd be ready. Each time I went to the shop to pick up the shoes, he was ALWAYS closed, no matter what day or time it was. I got my shoes back 2 months AFTER our trip. If this is the same owner who was,(don't know his name, only a description & not meant to be racial either!!) a black man with an accent I can't recognize. He was extremely rude. There happened to be another customer waiting for him and saw the whole exchange. I told the owner how I felt plus the fact that HE is the one who didn't honor his 2 weeks timeline. As I was leaving, he said to the other man, "typical white lady with anger issues". I heard it, he didn't know it. I stormed back through the door and told him off without racial slurs. I would never recommend this shop to anyone. read more

Kind and funny service. A line at the door. He knows his craft. He'll call you when ready, it will not be quick, but...worth the wait.

Since Henry took over Proctor Shoe Repair from another owner in order to keep the shop open, he did not remove the previous owner's website, never updating or using it or any computer, focusing on repairing customers' shoes instead. Yet I noticed that some--who have commented negatively there, criticizing Henry and his shop and work--were clearly uninformed. Those naysayers clearly do not realize how hard Henry works against so many odds and that he deserves no criticism, but instead heart-felt thank yous. As a very thankful customer, I take it upon myself to explain the following to anyone who reads comments on the old Proctor Shoe Repair or related websites, such as Yelp: After shattering my femur and hip and my insurance's unwillingness to pay for outer thick shoe lifts necessary for my pelvis and back to function and for me to walk, I learned how overwhelmed are the cobblers in this area. They have lost many colleagues--yes, cobblers are not competitors but colleagues experiencing distress. There is no one in the state of Washington to maintain and repair the mechanical equipment they must use, and no suppliers in the western US for the materials they need for their work. Despite efforts to encourage more businesses, no potential new apprentices or potential owners can be found for their work. Instead, Tacoma-area cobblers are retiring out of medical necessity. Well beyond retirement age, with a mother in the South who could use his attention, Henry continues to work as fast and hard as he can, including weekends and weekday nights, in order to serve my needs and those of many others. As is the case with cobbler colleagues in the area, no matter how hard he tries, he is swamped with shoes and cannot get them repaired for us as quickly as he intends and we want. Like his few colleagues who remain, Henry must lock his doors to keep from again being robbed of front-store merchandise while he focuses on work in the back, trying to catch up on shoe repair orders, even as he must explain and apologize to each customer who wishes their shoes were ready, feeling high levels of stress as he does so. He must work in an environment that is filled with sanding debris, glue odors, machine fumes, and the stacks of shoes that smell from the feet of his customers. To combat that for the customers, he uses a variety of odor fresheners and maskers, which customers may smell when their shoes are returned to them, repaired. I have had lifts put into my shoes by 3 different cobblers still open in this area during that time. While I am thankful for all 3 cobblers, Henry's work was of the highest quality. Unfortunately the other 2 cobblers have had to retire and, further, since Henry's work was the best, I added to his workload when he became my only cobbler. I suspect other customers who know the circumstances have done the same. I cannot afford to pay him more than the reasonable prices he asks for. Sending my shoes elsewhere would cost me more money and allow for less quality control. I am fearful that Henry may retire before I stop needing shoes. Please do not criticize his work publicly; if you are unhappy with his work, consider the circumstances, and, if your expectations fairly match those circumstances, then talk with him so he can do what he can to help you. Help all of us, including others, by educating them about fair expectations. We need Henry. Treat him with the greatest respect. Thank him. Figure out how to help keep any local cobblers who are still in this area, and certainly Henry. Patsy read more

Been coming here for at least 20 years....the workmanship is superb. Henry called me on a Sunday to grab my shoes because he knew I needed them this week. They look like new....worth every penny. read more

Henry is massively behind on repair orders because he's the only one doing them. I dropped my boots off the second week of November, and they weren't ready until 1/06. Will your repair likely take a month or two? Yeah. But the repair is high quality, a very good price, and there aren't many cobblers in this area. Go in with the expectation that he won't call when he says he will, that you'll have to follow up the next day after he said to expect them, and that this will be a lengthy process. But the guy is way swamped, and he's good at what he does. Have some patience with the repair order. You'll have quality work at the end of it. I will absolutely go back when the zipper blows out on my pair of boots. read more

Unable to contact owner. Place is typically closed, and sometimes the goods are taken offsite for unknown purposes, and you'll need to come back in a week to get them Also, the zipper broke again the following week, so outside of perhaps the owner having a backlog, cannot advocate for quality either. Drive the extra 15 minutes to the place in Lakewood read more

The owner is super cool and does a beautiful job on shoe repair. People that leave less than perfect reviews do need to understand that he works almost by himself and has for years. He's a craftsman! This is a dying art. I have been taking my shoes and bags here for 30 years. You can trust this man. read more

ALWAYS great work and great prices. I know he's had trouble finding help to Work the front counter, but he still does the best work in town. read more

High quality work replacing the heel caps on my Durango harness boots. He used Vibram brand heel caps, securely attached them, then polished the entire heel to look like new, all for a reasonable price in less than an hour. These boots were over five years old and had been worked hard during construction projects, but were periodically cleaned, treated and polished. They still clean up nice and have held together well, so they are worth this relatively small investment to increase their longevity, especially at the hands of this skilled cobbler. The shop's open hours are relatively short, so check the web site and give them a call to confirm availability. We all know that quality work like this is hard to find, but Proctor Shoe Repair provides it. read more

Henry was terrific! My 20-year old hiking boots began to lose their soles on a hike only a month before a big climb, and I did not want to break in new hiking boots. He resoled my boots with Vibram soles when several other cobblers simply said they don't work on hiking boots. Moreover, he did it in less than a week so I could get to my next scheduled training hike. They worked perfectly. I noticed the top eyelet was getting loose after that next hike, so I took the boots back to Henry, and he fixed all four top eyelets right then and there! I'm good to go and thankful for such great work. read more

I have been bringing shoes for my ex for the last decade and some minor repairs for myself! I can't stand how everything in this world has become disposable and just thrown out and quickly/cheaply replaced! Henry has the passion and understanding of why well crafted footwear and the maintenance required to keep your feet healthy until you give up on them or simply wear them out! I was finally in dire need of a refresh, shine and resole of my work boots, so I called Henry and dropped them by on Thursday! He called me on Saturday morning after they were ready(only 2 days). I am a happy man and looking forward to get to work on Monday morn! Some businesses are struggling or have shut down during Covid, but Proctor Shoe Repair is battling a major change in Proctor neighborhood. How can you have set hours and someone standing around at the front desk when rent increases alone are haunting your passion and career daily!! Have some patience in this crazy world and bring the leather to Henry! Thank you, Sir read more

Dropped my shoes off in early May. I've attempted to pick them up 4 times. The owner says they are finished but he can't find them. Last time he said they were on the van but his brother had it out and it was broken down. I feel like waiting over 3 months for new soles to be installed is an adequate amount of time. I'm going to have to just accept I will never get my shoes back. I understand things are rough because of COVID and supply chain issues. But I'm done expending time and energy to get my belongings back since I live 30 mins away. read more

This place is the real deal and as good as it gets! I brought in a pair of leather boots that was worn all the way through the soles and dry and torn through-out and they did a fantastic job. The guy who owns the store is incredibly friendly and smart, stick around for some conversation if you get the chance. To everyone saying the work is slow - this is a real cobbler that works with craft. It takes time to fix shoes properly. Be patient and you will not be disappointed with the results. I would recommend this store to anyone. read more

Proctor Shoe Repair - Here's the boots themselves, shined for free and looking better than ever. - Shoe Repair Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Came through on a Saturday when Henry was closing. He kept the door open for me and said come on in no problem, he said he wanted to take care of me. I needed a new snap button on my custom leather wallet and he took care of it Real quick/on site and didn't even charge me. Had to tip him out because the quality of his work was great and his customer service was on point also. Not to mention when I got there, he was finishing up with another customer Who was telling him that her shoes looked new after the repair he did. Quality and old-school customer service at its best. Look for the big Neon shoe repair sign, you can't miss it! read more

I was hesitant on where to take my Valentino Rockstuds for minor heal repair. I was recommended to Proctor Shoe Repair, Henry is awesome at what he does and fixed my shoes quick and efficiently. His prices are fair, I will absolutely bring my other shoes here! Also, my 4 month old baby absolutely loved him and couldn't stop cooing and smiling!! read more

Henry is amazing! I was under a week deadline to repair my favorite party shows to wear to an out of town wedding and he fixed my shoes within two days. He was pleasant and down to earth. I'm glad to have found a reliable shoe repair in Tacoma. read more

Terrible, totally agree w the horrendous reviews below. Dropped my boots off 2 months ago, keep getting a runaround everytime I try to pick it up (ie can't find the zipper, I'm backed up). Finally couldn't take it anymore and decided to ask for my boots back after more than two months and after reading some of the reviews on here. Boots were in in worst shape than when I dropped it off. read more

Very so-so on the work here. They offer a discount if you pay cash in advance. I've had some problems with them: Polished my Frye boots to shine when they were MATTE to begin with. Took a pair of Uffizi sandals and put a new sole on them, but left the crack in the existing sole in place, making basically unwearable shoes. Instead of discussing repair options or lack thereof, they just did a cruddy job. I have had a few shoes re-heeled here with success, however. While not my first choice, I would go back in a pinch. read more

I do understand that Henry has difficulty finding help in his shop and he may still have some supply chain issues, as well, but.... I took a pair of kindof Mary Jane-style shoes in to this shop on a Thursday. The shoes have narrow straps with Velcro rather than buckles. The Velcro was pretty worn out and I asked to have it replaced. He said they'd probably be ready the following Tuesday. I called Tuesday morning and he said he was working on them right then and could probably call me back that afternoon when they were ready. I heard nothing the rest of Tuesday. I waited until the following Monday and called and he said the shoes were ready but that he wasn't in the shop. He didn't volunteer any further information so I asked when would he be in the shop. He said Wednesday. On Wednesday I went to the shop. He went into the back and had the shoes and handed them to another man who sat down at a sewing machine with them. He did something with them for a while and then Henry sat down and worked on the. He looked up at me at one point and said he hadn't liked the way they looked so he re-did a part of the stitching. He put the shoes in a bag, I paid and left. All of that took over 40 minutes because he was helping others who came into the shop after me. When I got home and took the shoes out of the bag, I saw what kind of job he had done. Yes, they're wearable; yes, the Velcro will hold now. But he used chocolate brown Velcro on medium gray shoes. Will it show? Probably not. Was this a professional job? Not at all. Was the service prompt? No; I waited almost two weeks to pick up the shoes he'd said would be ready in 5 days. I won't go back. read more

My first visit to this shop as I have to drive about 30 minutes from Gig Harbor but well worth it. I took him 2 leather dog collars and a leash, each to be spliced adding a few inches of leather cut from the leash to lengthen the collars for my growing pup. I took them in at the end of the day and he said they would be ready next day after noon. They were and he did a first class job. Very pleased. High re read more

I read other reviews about not getting your shoes back but didn't trust them. I've now been trying for 8 months to get mine back to no avail. After multiple, multiple attempts and hearing every excuse possible, I give up. He's now keeping/lost/destroyed a pair of Kate spade heels and my $77 for repair. Don't pay in advance or drop off anything you hope to get back. read more

Very friendly, fair price, and quick service! He repaired my favorite shoes while I waited. I will be back!

Henry added soles to my magnanis. Excellent job. Fair price. Quick service. Not sure why so many negative reviews, they are not accurate.

Edit after reading some other reviews: I loved the older owner & was heartbroken to hear of his passing. (Edited: He had a short, excruciating and painful bout with cancer. Some of the reviews, obviously during that time are just cruel. People have real lives, please remember.) I also love the "new" owner (he's been there a few years now). (Also edited part: He's taken the place on pretty much as a one-man show, and God bless him for it.) He's repaired hockey gear for my boys on a 24 hour turnaround when we had back-to-back playoff games. He's fixed my own leg pads in a timely manner & well priced. I wouldn't go anywhere else for my leather repair--skirts, jackets, extra grommets in my goth boots, or hockey equipment. (He doesn't play hockey but you can't even tell the repair isn't original, even on replacing leg straps.) Great conversations if you've got a minute and he's not swamped, always excellent customer service even if he is. read more

He takes items in for repair promising a done by date which are nothing but lies. It took me three months of unanswered phone calls, locked doors and lies before I finally found my prized cowboy boots for sale inside his front window after I had called him with him telling me he couldn't find them and to give him more time. I had pre-paid to have new heels put on them and then he tried to sell them out from under me claiming ignorance. He's a liar, he's a cheat and a scumbag. There's a fantastic shoe repair store in Lakewood by the Lakewood Towne Center called Ardesson Shoe Repair and I suggest going there. read more

Read the reviews and I will admit I was a bit skeptical of bringing a pair of my favorite ankle boots in to hav ether heels replaced. I was pleasantly surprised. Customer service was great, the boots were done and looked awesome within 5 days. There was a weekend within those 5 days. I would recommend. Henry is a great read more

I took a pair of cowgirl boots in to be re-soled about 4 months ago. When I dropped them off the woman at the front desk suggested I pre-pay because of the discount; I ended up pre-paying for the work, as well as new insoles because of the discount. She told me it would be between a week and 10 days. After 2 weeks I called in to check on the boots- starting from there I had nothing but problems with this place. It seemed no one knows how to answer the phone, and the voicemail is pretty much always full. On the rare occasions I could catch anyone, I was always told my boots would be done the following week, and some random excuse was given (boots were next up for repair, machine broke down, L & I investigation prohibited any work to be done, breaker kept short-circuiting so the machine wouldn't work, etc etc). After several weeks of this I said I would just come get them and I expected a refund; I was told the soles were already off and would be fixed ASAP. At one point I attempted to stop by the shop and get my boots back, however the shop was closed by 3 pm with a sign saying "Lack of Staff- open from 9-3." When I called in again, in complete frustration, I was told by the owner that my boots were late due to an employee putting them in the "finished" section rather than the "needs work" section," however I "shouldn't worry because the employee was fired." I explained the situation and asked what could be done to remedy the situation, I was told I could receive a partial refund. When I picked up my boots another few weeks later (about 2 1/2 months total wait time), I was told by the owner he couldn't give me a refund because he didn't know how to work the credit card machine, and since I pre-paid with a credit card he couldn't give me cash. I expressed my frustration again, and we went over AGAIN what I was told (by him) in regards to compensation for the situation but he refused to give me any sort of refund. He gave me a $25 credit for my next repair, which I told him I wouldn't use due to the terrible service. When I looked at my boots there was a large stain on the leather- Henry said they accidentally got glue or something on it during the repair that wouldn't come out. Also, there were no insoles in the boots. When I brought up both issues nothing more than an apology was given for the ruined leather, and the cheapest pair of insoles was given to me. Due to the overall experience and ridiculousness of it all I chose to just leave with my boots finally in hand, rather than to keep arguing with this idiotic owner and completely freak out (as I probably should have done). This is, without a doubt, one of the worst run businesses I have ever been to, with the worst customer service. I feel confident in saying this place is probably worse than dealing with Xfinity/Comcast (to give you a visual of the nightmare involved). read more

Proctor Shoe Repair - When you take your boots in for repair, and they come back with ruined leather... - Shoe Repair Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

I don't know what is going on. I dropped off my boots and heels and decided to come in and pick them up one day because no one had called me to tell me they were ready.. It took them a long time to find my shoes and the man only came out with my boots and said my heels wouldn't be ready till next week (it had already been 2 weeks). I have been trying to pick up my heels but they have been closed due to short staffing!! I usually get there around 4:30-5! I tried calling today like they advised but no answer. WTF GIVE ME MY SHOES!!! This is so unprofessional. I don't care if you're "short staffed" you should have called all the people who's shoes have been done and OVERDUE, apologized, and let us know a time to pick them up if you're so inconvenienced. I know Nordstrom uses them so maybe they are getting overwhelmed and need to fill those orders first but seriously, this is ridiculous, we need a refund, read more

Shoes looked great after being repaired here! Recommend supporting this local business that's been around for many years.

I really, really hate to write this negative review. But after my third time in this business, I cannot recommend them. I took three pair of pumps and my prized pair of Frye boots to these folks. The first two pair of pumps were fine, no problem. But, then, they couldn't find my boots. So they say, come back in a week and the third pair of pumps would be refinished and they would have my boots. Husband returns, they cannot find my boots, the pumps are in the process of being refinished, no where near ready to pickup. What disturbs me most, is the employee by the name of "Mike" hung up on me, accused me of arguing with him (I asked him some questions) and said he would "look" for my boots. The more I thought about it, the more I was ticked off. I called him back in about 10 minutes, and lo and behold, Mike found my boots. I inquired if the work requested had been completed, and he indicated that it had not been started (after two weeks). I asked him to collect the pumps and the boots and I would have my husband pick them up, he then became hateful and said he was "gonna hang up on you again"....! So if you want this sort of "customer service" go ahead and go to this business. I care way, way too much in how I am treated, and whether or not my items are safe. My husband said in the back room they have mounds of shoes all squashed and in disarray. And clearly, their inventory system leaves much to be desired. Not a business model to admire, to be sure. These people are just not reliable and are really, really weird. read more

Bad Bad Bad....buyer beware I took in two new shoes to be widened a little...I was told it would take a week. The shop seems to be always closed during regular working hours, no one answers the phone, the VM mail box if full and it's been a month and they have my shoes. I can't get them back. Use to be good but horrible now. Avoid! read more

They stretched my Doc Martens for twenty bucks and even offered to stretch them more when I came to pick them up in case they still didn't fit. But they did fit really well! Super friendly service and happy to support a local business. Will definitely be coming back! read more

We stopped by on a Monday noonish, closed but the ridiculous part is no visible posting of operating hours & days open. Poor business practice read more

I've taken my boots here twice to have them cemented and each time it took over a month to get them back. I got a call today (the day my boots were supposed to be done) saying that it will take another week. I'm leaving town for the holidays and they will be closed for Christmas and New Years so I won't be getting my shoes back til next year! Even though I brought them in at the end of November. I tried to call back, 5 times in a row, but all I got was a full voicemail box. I've tried to bring other shoes here on several occasions, each time during regular business hours, only to find the shop closed with some excuse taped to the door. When I DO get inside because they happen to be open, they always have trouble locating my shoes and I've seen it happen to other customers as well. The work they do on the shoes is just fine but they make it so difficult to even drop your shoes off and the customer service is just terrible. I'd rather not give them my business but I don't know where else to go. Classic Tacoma Syndrome, they get away with sub-par service because they know there is no where else for you to go. Edit: When I did finally get my boots back the leather REEKED if patchouli and cigars. The smell never came out, the boots were ruined and I had to toss them due to the smell. read more

I loved Henry's work on my shoes! Only issue is with when he's open. I know he's trying to catch up a huge backlog of repairs. I think he's worth waiting for, IMHO. read more