Old World Boot & Shoe Repair

The owner of the shop is actually quite pleasant if one takes the time to actually speak to him. The shop can be pricy however, I was recommended to him through Boot Barn. I took a pair of my son’s cowboy boots to be resoled and for new heels and they came back looking brand new. Cowboy boots can be an investment so it was worth the price to get them gussied up. This gentleman is a true craftsman. I will definitely be back.

Remember that old, friendly equipment manager Hans from the Mighty Ducks movies? Well that would be Leon, if Hans had lost his wife in a horrific ice fishing accident and he became a grumpy, miserable old bastard. I came into the store to get some boots stretched and was gruffly scolded for buying the wrong-​size shoes. However, Hans hooked it the f up (remember those jersey changes in D2?!), and so does Leon; the man really knows what he’s doing. I walked out a week later with nicely stretched shoes that no longer murdered my Barney Rubble feet.
If you need anything that requires a skilled cobbler, definitely pay the dude a visit. Just come in with a thick skin.
PS: to be fair, he was totally right and I suck at buying shoes.

I have been playing hockey for almost all of my life (over four decades of skating). I had a pair of old Easton hockey gloves which needed to be re-​palmed since they have sentimental value and I don’t like the new style of gloves. He did a phenomenal job. For the critics who don’t like his gruff demeanor, I’d say that they don’t know Russians! He actually is quite funny after he gets to know you.

Leon is by far and away the best «Cobbler» in So. Cal… I have used his services for th past 5 to 6 years with Total success !!! He might be a little «gruff» as other Unilocalers hav mentioned… but if u treat him wth Respect he will Return in kind. The point is you are there to get your shoes/​boots repaired not hav «cocktail conversation. I recently took 3 pairs of very expensive boots to hav him lower th heels to make them more comfortable fr my aging feet. He immediately took one pair and removed th rubber heel protector and said «Sure how low do u want them » he proceeded to explain how th heel works in conjunction with th rest of th boot etc. Etc. …if u want The Best Go to Leon. Steve B

I hate giving a low rating but sometimes it is necessary. I don’t go into businesses particularly just to socialize but it is nice to be greeted and not met with an extremely cold and unfriendly attitude. Maybe I am spoiled by my old shoe repair man that I do not live close to anymore who would fix the shoe AND make them look nice. This place is expensive and does not even try to make them look nice. So that PLUS the bad attitude was enough for me to write this review and to not return.

From the first day I walked in I have had nothing but a good & pleasant experience with this shop. I had no real time frame to have my boots returned, however he told me three days. When I returned he had my boots ready and I was there around noon on the third day. I really don’t see what all the complaints where about, the man in this shop seemed to be a little gruff but not rude in the least. I will definitely return. Thanks for the Great work on my boots. Seems these days people are to thin skinned.

Asking around if anyone knew of a great repair shop, the name Old World surfaced up a couple of times. Driving to Anaheim would be far out of my way, so I relied on Unilocal for a 3^rd opinion. What I received instead was 19 opinions. Thank you!
If you want a warm friendly smile served with a hot cup of coffee, go visit the Starbucks in Queens, New York. If you have 10 pairs of leather and suede shoes and boots like my wife had, then you want Leon.
I suggested tossing them all out. The wife insisted that they can be brought back to life. She was right, and Leon proved me wrong. This man does AMAZING work. Btw, he was more than reasonable on the price. If you are need of a shoe repair service, he is the person to go to. Well worth the drive.

Used to come here frequently. Leon the owner seems to have a real attitude problem every single time I came in. Today was the last straw, I brought in my riding boots asking if they could be stretched since most repair places are able to. He started saying how stupid I was and it was impossible since it had zippers on them. I will never return here again! Go to Capri shoes in Fullerton. They treat you with so much more respect. I literally went there right after leaving Old World Boots. They said they could definitely stretch them for me. Thank you Capri shoes! Should have just came here directly! I hope Old World Boots goes out of business! He’s just a cranky old man!

This guy was just completely rude for no reason Whatsoever. Must been having a bad day. Asked him for some heel protectors and and he came out with some that were smaller than what I would normally use. I asked him if he had larger ones and he gave me a really angry look, and asked what, you want me to kiss you, too?! I said what? He then proceeded by saying get the f**k out of here. At that point told him to f himself.

He is old Russian guy and is rough around the edges, he does all repairs for the ducks.
He did chat with me for a while so my experience was good.

After reading a previous post about the guy being a shoe nazi, I was skeptical. I went in needing only a small repair and within 30 seconds he fixed my shoe. When I went to pay him he refused. I even offered a tip and he said no. This man has a good heart after all and I will be glad to use him the next time I need a shoe repair.

To begin I truly hate giving bad reviews, especially to small businesses. That being said I feel I received horrible service at OLD WORLD BOOT & SHOE. So here it goes.
I have a pair of Red Wing work boots that I love. The feel and especially the deep red/​burgundy stain the leather has. I have taken them into to be polished before at other shops but since moving I turned to Unilocal to find me a highly rated leather shop close by. I came across OLD WORLD BOOT & SHOE. Read the reviews and decided to give them a shot.
When I went into OLD WORLD I was «greeted» by an old gentleman with a rich accent and a attitude to match. He never made eye contact, was very short with his answers and didn’t seem pleased in the slightest to have business. I even saw him just throw my boots to the ground when he finished ringing me up, though I know they are work boots and are meant to be punished it just didn’t sit well with me. I honestly started to think of the soup nazi from SEINFELD. Through all that I still smiled at the man and said thank you, thinking that if his workmanship was as good as the soup nazis’ soup then I could deal with a little ‘tude.
When I returned to get my boots a couple days later they honestly looked well. The seal was good it wasn’t running so I shook the mans hand, paid and left. When I took them to work all the ladies where asking, «Are those the same boots, or «did you get them stained a deeper color?» That’s when I realized that guy didn’t stain the boots the proper color.
And I can hear what your saying, «If I can’t notice the change what does it matter?» What matters is the overall experience for me. He was a rude man, and he either couldn’t tell the difference in stain or simply just slapped on a ‘close enough’ stain, which is complete unacceptable. And that why this business gets one star from me. Never going back, I’ll make the drive to my old leather men.
Sorry so long.

Absolutely the best! If you are in a hurry go elsewhere. Miracles are by appointment
only. However Leon serves up miracles with customized repairs. Just look at his wall
of fame. He has several high profile endorsements. My equipment is mostly custom
and specialty items. Leon has often fabricated solutions to remedy defective items
or to convert off the shelf items for a special application.

Love this place. I have been taking my work boots in here for almost 4 years.
I have black leather prairie-​style boots from Urban Outfitters that I wear as my work shoes. They are real leather with good laces, but the original soles and craftsmanship wasn’t great (made in India, cost me only $ 65). After one month the heel pad fell off and got lost; this was my first repair.
I took them in and got new ones, perfectly sized and obviously better quality, nailed in by Leon. He polished and shined up the boots as well. Great price, and they were done within 3 days.
Since then, I have had them completely re-​soled twice, and also had the small stacked heels replaced when it finally disintegrated (originally made of some kind of particle board or cardboard, Leon made new ones out of leather!). I have had small holes repaired and the insides lined with extra leather for more support.
The shoes are in better condition than they were when I bought them! And each time I pick them up, they are clean and shiny, and better than new. The prices Leo charges are certainly reasonable, and even on my low budget his repairs have saved me so much money compared to replacing my shoes. The location is convenient to both my home and work, but I would drive much farther for this kind of quality! I take all my other boots to him when they need it, and am considering bringing in a bag or two as well. I also recommend him to my coworkers when they wear through their shoes.

I’ve used this guy for my cowboy boots several times over. Each time I’ve been satisfied with his craftsmanship, which is excellent. Over the course of the last 5 years, his work has been solid.
Regarding his demeanor, he’s old school — act accordingly.

I used this guy years ago. I’m so excited that he is still around. He can do anything with leather. I have skinny legs and needed my knee high boots pulled in. He did an amazing job and 8 yrs later my boots are still great. I’m getting a new pair of boots and taking them to him to get them pulled in again. Wouldn’t trust my my boots with anyone else!

I’ve been playing hockey my whole life and I’ve tried dozens of places to repair my gear. This dude is hands down the best.
I actually kind of like his no nonsense attitude. When I picked up my gear from him today he was super cool and cordial. I’m not sure why people are whining on here about his customer service skills… be more worried about the product he puts out, which is unreal!
I’ll definitely be back here and recommend him to anyone.

I will only use Leon to repair my shoes and hockey equipment! The guy has been around as far as his ability to stitch and work with leather and I drive all the way down from the San Fernando Valley just to have him repair my hockey goalie leg pads!!! I tried nearly every shoe/​tailor/​leather worker in hollywood and they said they didn’t know if they could repair my pads!!!
I drove them down to Leon and he not only fixed them in a week, during the holidays but did so for $ 40!!! I used my leg pads for the first time last week and they fit like brand new!!!
Thanks Leon!!! I’ll be referring you to anyone I come in contact with that needs hockey or shoes repaired!!!

I had a pair of mens low cut boots that i have worn, literally all over the world. The boots meant alot to me but recently i noticed the heel had worn down. Damn didn’t even know. well lets say they are in good condition and i did not want to part without a fight. I took them to this boot place and O MY GOD, this dude is bad ass. He may be a man of few words, but my god can he repair a pair of shoes. Im all for getting new shoes when time is needed but im so glad i took them to this guy. So if you have a pair of shoes, boots ladies and gents and you just cant find yourself parting with them, give this guy a shot. For $ 24.00 he brought my shoes wayyyyyy back to life. Dont take it personal this is not your chatty type guy. man of few words, but he gets the job more than done.

Repaired my leather sandals. Good price, quick, honest, exactly what I expected. From all the shoes and hockey gear in his shop, you can tell he gets a lot of good business for a reason!