While Sofia's Alterations has closed (permanently), Sofia and her business were outstanding, friendly, kind, interesting, and patient - even for difficult to alter clients (of 'unusual shapes and sizes'). NOW: not everyone was pleased with the work (see reviews). I suspect that some alterations 'provided to be very difficult' even for an experienced seamstress. I recall that she graciously told me when she thought that a 'repair job' would not be worth doing for me. And anyone in business who outsources core services to others is at their mercy (notice words about dry cleaning not being ready on the promised date). Well, some businesses are harder to do as we age. But I often visited Sofia just to stop in and say 'Hi' as did a number of Mission Hill residents. Our Boston neighborhood lost so much when we lost Sofia's alterations and cleaning business. I do recall her saying to me (once or twice), "It might be here on x, but then, it might be here 2-3 days later. You'd better check before walking over here." I take a long daily walk, so a visit was not a problem, but she carefully warned me that the contractor might not deliver on time. What we do to 'get the price' that the client or customer is 'willing to pay' (WTP). read more

Sofia's Alteration & Cleaners - Sofia in her clothworker shop - Laundry Services Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I brought a pair of jeans to Sophia to shorten, and she did an excellent job! I asked her to keep the original hem and they look great, as if they had always been the right length for me. Her price was very reasonable and she got them done really quickly! She is also very nice. She has been in business for 30 years! She takes cash only,so bring cash! read more

Sofia is extremely warm and friendly, but she and her assistant overcharged me heinously and even increased the price. At first, her assistant told me the price to shorten my $74 dress by three inches would be $75. After I returned from a nearby ATM to get the cash upfront as requested, Sofia's assistant told me, "Actually, it's $85." Eighty-five dollars to hem a dress that cost $74. The next day, I returned in the morning to take the dress back. Sofia's assistant refunded me for my order and gave me back the dress, which Sofia hadn't yet started to work on. She wasn't present at the time. Her assistant contacted her right away, and she asked to speak with me. I declined and left before she could dispute my order cancellation. I've called other tailors in the area, and they've said that Sofia overcharges greatly. I agree, and I recommend looking for more reasonable prices. read more

Brought my comforter here that was very strictly dry clean only. Not only was it $55 even though my comforter is for a twin bed, but when given a date to pick it up she proceeded to tell me that "isn't what she said" after I traveled all the way there- despite me having the written receipt where she wrote it down. Then, after waiting 3 more days (all this time without a comforter at home), I received my $200 comforter COMPLETELY flattened, smelling slightly mildew-y, and with tons of tiny pokes and holes in it (looks like about 20 safety pins were just carelessly shoved everywhere). I also found out it didn't even get dry-cleaned on site, which I am not a fan of (smaller detail but I like on-site procedure). Safe to say I will not be going back. And now I have to buy a brand new comforter because I can't stand to have this in my sight. Genuinely on the verge of tears from frustration. read more

Sofia's Alteration & Cleaners - Laundry Services Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Sofia (I'm assuming that's her actual name) is so friendly! I had a few things to drop off to get dry cleaned in addition to a few minor alterations I needed to be made. I'm terrible with needle (hugs not drugs) so I appreciated that she didn't laugh at me and really listened and worked with me when I told her about all of the little stitching I wanted to have done. The service was excellent and the best I've ever experienced at a dry cleaning place. Embarrassingly, I also really love it when ladies call me "sweetie" cause it makes me feel all warm inside :) She was so so sweet and after how accommodating she was I can't imagine taking my things anywhere else but to her. Payment is cash only and due when you drop off so keep that in mind! read more

Sofia Marmanidis (second from left), owner of Sofia's Alterations and Cleaners at 824 Huntington Ave., is congratulated on her shop being named Mission Hill Main Street's Business of the Year by (from left) City Councilor Josh Zakim, MHMS Board President Dermot Doyne and MHMS Board Clerk Toni Kmost last month at her store. (Photo by Richard Rouse) - See more at: http://missionhillgazette.com/2014/04/04/business-of-the-year-2/#sthash.u5kagIMc.dpuf http://missionhillgazette.com/2014/04/04/business-of-the-year-2/ read more

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Sofia did an amazing job fixing my evening gown. She did it in a timely manner and her work is very clean. She definitely knows what she's doing and I would trust her again with any other alterations I'll need. Trust the process, she has done this for years and truly does great work! read more

Cannot emphasize enough how amazing Sofia is!!! I came in with a bridesmaid dress that needed some difficult hemming for a friend's wedding and was worried about the price since my friend had it fixed up for an enormous sum. I put on the dress for Sofia and she was so friendly and patient, and helped me decide on the right length. She agreed that it was a difficult hem and that she would try her best and if it didn't work she'd give me my money back. What an angel!! I came back a few days later and it was PERFECT. Literally cannot imagine going to someone else for a tough job! Please go support this local business and amazing woman! read more

Beware, they are not honest with you at all! They will tell you "Yes" to whatever pickup date you request, but in reality they do not launder on site. Some third party picks up, cleans, and returns your clothes. Needed a few shirts and a jacket dry cleaned for a wedding and confirmed it would be ready on time. The pickup day came and I was coarsely dismissed to come back the next day (after my flight departed). Timelines is important for dry cleaning, yet you won't find that at Sofia's! read more

Don't go here expecting Sofia will alter your clothes they way you request or would like it. She does it her way and doesn't care what you have to say. She is rude and yells if you even attempt to request specific alterations that will help your clothing fit better. Out of respect I walked out but she clearly doesn't care about being disrespectful to her clients. Will not return read more

I have never been more motivated to write a Yelp review before, but I feel as though it is my civic duty to warn other unsuspecting patrons before they ruin their own sister's wedding day. I took my Maid of Honor dress to Sofia's a few weeks ago to have it tailored. It was a halter dress, but needed to be taken in along the sides. In the 5 seconds Sofia spent "measuring" me, I warned her not to take it in too much, but either the language barrier was too great or she simply didn't care to listen, because when I got the dress back it was so tight I couldn't zip it up the back. I took the dress to a different tailor who said, and I quote, "On behalf of all tailors everywhere, I apologize for the poor craftsmanship on this dress. She butchered it." I ended up spending another $50 just getting an additional inch put in near the back zipper (since Sofia hadn't left enough fabric to take the sides back out). I'm stressed enough about this wedding without having to worry about passing out from lack of oxygen as I walk down the aisle. Moral of the story: if you get a bad vibe about a tailor, take your dress and leave immediately, because once the damage is done, there is NOTHING you can do to fix it. read more

This is a review of Sofia's shoe repair services. I can't speak for her tailoring and alterations, but if I were reviewing her business strategy I would def give her 5 stars. She honey-sweetheart-baby-dolly mou-ed me out of $35 for a terrible shoe repair that not only was sloppy and uneven and left brown shoe polish smeared all over my blue shoes, but was about 2 x more complicated than necessary. All I needed was a new heel piece (for a flat shoe!) and ended up with an entirely new sole that has two huge splits in it that go all the way up to the base of the shoe. It looks like someone went at these things with an axe. Are you effing kidding me, $35?? At that price I at least expect to be able to stand flat without wobbling. If she weren't such a sweet talker I would never have stood for this. You win this round, rogue! read more

This is an example of when being a good person and focusing on customer service defines your business. 1)You can expect the friendliness and spirit of the owner (Sofia I presume) to make your day every time you walk into her shop. I actually look forward to seeing her because she is pretty much the nicest person I have ever met and treats me like I am close family. 2) Her prices are unbeatable- I generally just have dress shirts (1.75 each), but I recently had one old suit completely altered, cleaned, and pressed, a second new suit tailored, and a third suit cleaned and pressed all for under $100. 3) My clothes always come back in pristine shape, pressed beautifully. And no dry cleaners smell! FYI: Parking on Huntington is not ideal but i find something on the cross streets every time. Sofia's is cash only and payment is expected on drop-off. Usually a two day turnaround but I also have never asked her to rush- I'm sure she could work with a shorter time frame if need be. read more

Sofia is amazing! So kind and she knew just what to do with my pants. Would recommend for anyone in the area!!

Brought in a pair of pants to be hemmed, and a winter pea coat to have the buttons secured firmer. 12 bucks for the pants. 2 bucks a button. 24 bucks and 1 day later I am outfitted with shorter pants and the most secure buttons in the world. To quote Sofia "If you throw the jacket in the trash the buttons will still stay on!" She is adorable. Like my grandmother. Very sweet. I kinda want to steal her. Can't wait to bring my shoes in to get them fixed. :) read more

There aren't many recent reviews, so I figured I would contribute since I was combing over them after dropping something off there. I brought a bridesmaid skirt to be altered it had 2 layers of tulle and a slip? layer underneath. Sofia did great work and within the time frame. I am taking off a star because of the price. The other reviews mentioned a reasonable price so that is why I chose Sofia's. However, I paid $130 for the alterations, while my friend (with the same skirt) paid $65 in West Roxbury. At the end of the day I didn't have time to shop around and because all the other reviews mentioned reasonable price I thought it'd be all good but I definitely came in at the higher end of things. It is cash only and you pay when you drop it off. read more

Sofia is awesome! I had a pair of suit pants that I brought to her on Monday and needed ready by Wednesday, and she had them ready the next day! Such a sweet lady, great pricing and my pants are perfect :) read more

I have been bringing my dry cleaning to Sofia for 3 years. She is incredibly kind and always so pleasant. My clothes have always been ready on time with no issues. Her prices are very reasonable as well for typical blouses, dresses, and pants. read more

What a wonderful little business, and Sofia is great! She is one of the nicest and hardest working people in Boston! Have had dry cleaning done there without issues and three suit pants tailored to perfection. Great location for anyone in the Longwood Medical Area. read more

This lady and her service are trash. My family had gone there for sometime so I decided to go . Not only did she over charged me. She messed up one of my white shirts with a red marker and tried to tell me that the mark was there before. Let me leave the store and did nothing to keep me happy didn't even apologize. On top of that she "fixed" my pants but they didnt fit so I went back and she wanted to charge me one more time for the job she didnt do correctly. I am not one to write negative reviews or spread bad energy but save your money and go somewhere else. read more

I ordered a dress online because I couldn't resist the green color, but alas, when I tried it on, as one of my friends put it, it looked like I was wearing a beanbag... but the color... the fabric was so wonderful. What is a girl to do? At the recommendation of friends, I decided to take the dress to a tailor, Sofia to be exact. I dropped it off Friday and she said it would be done on Tuesday. I paid ahead, cheaper than I expected (it was around $18) It ended up being done on Thursday (since Wednesday she was closed for the 4th of July), which was quite all right. I wasn't in that much of a hurry to get it back, especially since my date had canceled/postponed on me anyway. :/ Besides, from the look of things, she was quite busy. Sofia is just so nice and so sweet, it just makes me miss my dear grandparents even more. She and I would chat about the weather and work. As for the dress, my terrible cell phone pictures can hardly do it justice. A subtle change, but the dress just feels better on me (I don't feel like I'm swimming in it) and at least I think it looks better. read more

Ive been going to Sophia's for years now and let me start by saying she is the nices person you will ever meet, however her work is not dependable. I have had three garment altered wrong now so i will not be going back ever again. 1st dress: was way to tight - luckily this one she was able to let back out free of charge since she knew she had made it too tight 2nd: skirt - i asked to be taken in- while she did take it in she didn't account for the pleats- so now it does not hang correctly 3rd: bridesmaid dress. chiffon - top layer perfect, under layer was cut 3-4 inches shorter than the top layer-- looked terrible! Im not sure why she wouldn't leave them the same length like they were when i first brought them in. The fabric had been cut and there was no going back-- I had to wear it looking ridiculous, as it was too late to order another dress. read more

I thought about giving this place the lowest rating, but I will discuss the positive first. As people have said below, Sofia is really super sweet, most of the time, she knows her stuff and she works really hard. The prices are also great and they do fast work. That being said, first of all, never bring dry cleaning here. I have, twice, and both times I had to give the garment back to be redone; the stains were still there. In her defense, she doesn't do the dry cleaning herself. Next, I have used Sofia for alterations, also twice. The first time, she got the length of my pants perfect, but she switched thread three quarters of the way through, resulting in two color hem that was not cute. I tried her again, though. This next time, my skirt was fixed perfectly. However, the white dress, that I brought in with a ripped seam, was returned to me with black stains on it, although she did fix the seam. I told her that I didn't drop it off with the stains, and she argued profusely that I did drop it off that way. I know, with one hundred percent certainty, that those stains were new. She asked if I was calling her a liar, refused to dry clean the item and did not offer to refund my money. I was not calling her a liar, but she was definitely mistaken. The not so sweet side of Sofia came out that time. So, I've had a couple of hits there but far more misses. I am done going to Sofia's now. read more

Sofia's is our number one dry cleaning and alterations spot and it is amazing. Not only are the prices super cheap but they work fast. The dry cleaning is done in less than 48 hours every time and Sofia can do everything from replacing buttons & zippers to custom costume work. We go there probably twice a month for her services. She is a sweetheart. Every time I walk in she asks me how my wife is doing and how she is doing in school. I feel like Sofia is our friend and her services are very professional. If you live anywhere near the Mission Hill area, I would recommend this as your go to dry cleaning place. read more

I want to give this woman a hug everytime I go in. I only go for alterations and at that she's done a fine job....but it's the love and attention she gives you that makes her the best. It's almost like taking your stuff home to mom to alter...and almost as cheap! read more

The lady is so incredibly sweet! I dropped off my pants and they were ready the next day! It was only $8 for the patch in my pants (I paid $14 at Anton's on mass ave for a similar hole in my pants and it took them like 2 weeks to finish). Super convenient and worth it! read more

Sofia is incredibly kind and friendly. I've been getting my pants hemmed by her for the last few months. Only $10 per pair of pants and she does high quality work. Highly recommend! read more

Sofia's is great! She provided low-cost, high quality alterations and turned it around in less than 24 hours. Bonus, she's adorable. Highly recommend! read more

Sofia is not only an absolute sweet heart, but she also does an awesome job altering/repairing clothes. Plus, it's super affordable!

One lady does it all. Her son does the shoe repair. Very inexpensive local business that feels good to support. I took pants in to get the crotch sewn up and Sofia did an awesome job. Two pairs of pants with a blown out crotch and she sewed a pocket back onto a shirt all for $25. Great lady, great business. They also repair shoes read more

First off, I have to say that I love Sofia! She is the friendliest woman I have ever met in the dry cleaning-alteration business! I've only used her for dry cleaning so far, and (although she does outsource) I've never been disappointed with how my clothes have turned out. She always takes care of her customers as well; being a repeat customer myself, I've gone in many a time without the cash to put down for the dropoff, and she'll let me pay when I come in to pick up my clothes. (Her policy is to have cash payment ready when you drop off your stuff.) She remembers your name and always calls you honey, and she's always so welcoming! Inexpensive dry cleaning, especially in the city! read more

Great attitude, hardworking, and did a great job cleaning my suit. She's been around Mission Hill for decades. What's not to like?

This review is for shoe repair only. I paid 20 for a zipper repair on a boot. The first time I returned the boot the the repaired zipper completely came off the boot while zipping. The tooth that was jagged was also not repaired. The owner yelled at me when I brought it back that I had to handle to zipper gently. It's a boot zipper and should hold up to zipping it up and down. The second time it was fixed, I attemptec to wear the boot only to have the zipper fall apart in peices. This was obviously a glued refurbished zipper passed off as a new one. The owner does not do the repairs herself. I lost $20 bucks and took somewhere else. Since the owner does not do these repairs, she can't tell you when things will be repaied by. Both dates she said the boot would be ready by were incorrect. read more

Sofia is a wizard! She has mended and shortened several things for me and they are always done perfectly. She is friendly, kind, gentle and talented woman. One can feel good because they know they and their clothing are in the best hands! I cannot recommend her highly enough! Sofia also does dry cleaning and I must remember to bring my things next time. It would be a pleasure to give her all my business! read more

At first I felt like I was experiencing a "Seinfeld" moment feeling like Costanza going delusional for feeling like some elusive sweet-acting hustler swindled me. However a sigh of relief came over me when I saw reviews echoing similar woes. However for the sake of the raving reviews on her skill and hospitality, I'll try my best to be as clear as possible about my particular case. What reeled me into having her alter three of my favorite pants was my experience having Sophia alter my daughter's dress for a "Quinceanera". My wife couldn't stop giving her accolades on a job well done on the dress and how her friend, a loyal customer for years, recommended Sophia highly. After reviewing the job with my wife and having her explain the in's and out's of the alterations what sold me was the price--$20. This was commendable for I would think that a dress is a little bit more complicated than hemming pants... Now when I came by with my pants I received the legendary good Old Italian hospitality and charm that only an elder can actually give. I saw immediately why many find her such a warm soul. She took my measurements and we went back and forth on the length. She insisted on cutting it a certain length that I felt was short and somehow I caved in on her recommended measurement. After all the hype shared prior to her service I thought her advice would be sound right? Unfortunately the hems on all three pants were too short. A classic case of the customer is always right. So now I was stuck with several "high-waters" ready to cross streams! After a moment, I came to terms and considered that the least she could do was unroll the hem job and salvage whatever length of the pants to correct their lengths. Up until this point I wasn't even compelled to post any reviews on her yet. It's what happened next that appalled me. I had my wife take the pants because my schedule is super packed and the only reason why I had time to take my pants initially was because I did so during a vacation break. I also thought if Sophia saw an old customer who she pleased with her craftsmanship, then maybe there would be some alleviation that I didn't totally dismiss her abilities and that she could make things right. I'm sorry to say that she immediately dropped her old world charm and went cold-pan hustler and without budging told my wife that it would cost an additional $5 per pants to fix them. Man!!! This is what basically compelled me to post up this experience. Business 101- the customer is 99.99% right. If the business makes the mistake and entrusts you to fix it, don't hustle them for more cash. Instead prove that you are that cornerstone business that stands out from the rest because you have integrity. Especially if the customer was unsure of recommendations made on the business' behalf. With Sophia and any other seamstress I think the best route is to just simply test their work on something you pre measured and bring the numbers. Bring the measuring tape upon pick up and double check before paying. If you're satisfied then still bring the numbers and double check before paying for any work done afterwards, because at the end of the day it's all about getting tailored service that suits to the customer's liking--not the tailor/business. HOPE this was helpful and I know this experience could have happened with any other tailor, sorry 5 star posts, but it happened with Sophia. read more

She is probably the best tailor in Boston, friendly, and her work is the best. She will do it the same day if she can. Where else do you get service like that. Old school and QUALITY work. read more

I don't know what I would do without Sophia. I've been with her since I got married (bridesmaid dresses) and two kids later. She knows her stuff and offers really great advice when it comes to tailoring clothes. Most importantly, she's a sweetheart! read more

A friend recommended this place to me for a simple alteration on a dress. Sophia appeared to be a nice, elderly lady, but after I saw the place I should have taken my dress somewhere else. She sent me to a random corner of the dry cleaner to try on my dress and pinned me in the front of the store with all of the windows wide open. The place is old and fairly unkempt inside. I was in a rush when I picked up my dress. When I got home and went to hang it up I saw a huge snag and a hole in the front of my dress!!!! I immediately called Sophia as this was a brand new dress! She was loud and aggressive on the phone stating she didn't do anything wrong and told me that I probably purchased the dress like that. I asked her if I could show her and she adamantly refused!!! Yes, it was only a $20 alteration, but my dress was $100 and now I can't wear it thanks to Sophia. Would not recommend this place to anyone!!!! read more

Always smiling, always friendly, always great job, thank you so much SOFIA, you are unique!

needed a dress altered, and based on good reviews decided to go w sofias! the pricing is fine - $15 to hem and $22 to take in. sofia said it would be ready the day i asked, but when i came in, she said it would be ready the first thing the NEXT day. came back to get my dress and tried it on, but it didn't fit at all- she didn't alter everything that we had talked about. bring it back home and realize that the hem was super uneven, and that it didn't even connect. rather, the end and the beginning sat on top of each other. dress also had stains which weren't there before as it was new, and in her alterations she had taken off the straps to hang it (and it was a strapless dress). the dress itself was 240, so it was def a big loss to have the alterations not work out. two friends brought dresses in as well, and neither were thrilled w how they turned out. one had a hole sofia said was a cigarette burn that the store it came from must have made, but there was no hole previously. super unfortunate bc she's so sweet, but will probably never come back for the sake of my wallet/clothes read more