Benjamin’s on the Row

I found my go to place for shoe repairs! I bought shoes online and the straps were too tight I needed them extended. From the initial phone call, the first and final fitting and pick up everything was excellent. The friendliest place I have been too. We even got candy :) Great customer service, along with great work and all within a week. Ill definitely be coming back!

My boots look better than when I first got them! They did an incredible job resoling and patching a pair of Frye boots that I thought I was going to have to trash, and the turn around was less than two weeks. Also, Amie may be the nicest person in all of Philadelphia. This place is a wonderful find!

This is the only shoe repair shop in Philly I will ever go to! Not only do they get my shoes looking brand new each time, but I just love going in there because Amy is the sweetest person ever. I swear every time I go, I leave in a better mood because of her infectious positive attitude. Also she gives out candy, so that’s the icing on the cake. Highly recommend!

I spent a lot of Unilocaling to find a decent shoe repair about a year ago and I’m so glad I found Benjamin’s. First — Amy is amazing. She handles all of the business from the time you walk in to the time you walk out. Shes extremely knowledgeable and actually explains exactly what they will be doing to your shoes (even if you don’t ask).
I had a pair of expensive boots fixed last winter. Basically I ruined the sole from walking in the city, they also had to fix the inserted heel because that was damaged. They placed more of a walking sole on it so this wouldn’t happen again. Took about two weeks and $ 60. For the amount of work they did and how amazing they look and feel (one year later, still going strong), this was a steal.
I had a pair of booties fixed the other day. The heel kept popping out so both shoes needed to be fixed. It cost $ 30 and 2 week turn around. If you need a shorter turn around time just tell them. Amy even gave me her cell and was going to meet me near the subway to accommodate my work schedule.
PS. Amy always gives chocolates on your way out! She is seriously the cutest!

After reading these reviews… What a let-​down. I went in to have the heels replaced on a pair of boots. She said fine and I’ll clean them for you. Ok. I paid in full up front, as required. When I go back to get them, she’s cleaned and dyed them (as an extra service?!) but did not replace the heels. The smell was toxic too. Discovered the heel wasn’t fixed at home so had to go back again. She gave me a lot of attitude instead of apology for not doing what I asked for. On my 4^th and final visit, she had finally repaired the heels, but it was a subpar job. Very disappointed. Store is messy too. I guess that should be your first sign of their lack of attention to detail.

Fantastic customer service and my boots are fully restored after my dog got to them. Love this place!

A shoe repair artist doing the finest work I’ve seen. With proper care, a fine pair of shoes lasts 20 years. This craftsman can make that happen.

UPDATE: They did such a great job with my patent leather doc martens, the zipper has held up after seeing a lot of action since April! They tailor each fix to the activity you do with your shoes, be it just walking around or dancing on concrete. Please stop going to other places and get your shoes fixed here :)

These folks know what they are doing and take great pride in their work. Took my cognac leather boots in for cleaning (mild winter salt stains) and they did a lovely job cleaning and polishing them. They happened to need a new heel (something the attendant pointed out — she is very knowledgeable) and included that at a discounted price since I was having them cleaned also. I didn’t actually SEE «Benjamin» (if that’s even his real name…) because I think he was working hard behind the shop’s partition.
They try to accommodate timelines, but I had said I wasn’t hard pressed to have them ASAP, so they took their time and gave me a call in about a week or so.
When I went to pick up, boots were in a handled bag with my name clearly marked, so they were easy to carry home. She gave them a final swipe with the polishing cloth and showed me the new heels which looked flawless. I trust they will do a great job with anything you bring their way!
Heads up — they are cash only and prefer payment ahead, but I didn’t have much on me at the time and she let me pay at pick up.

I (very nervously) took my brand new pair of pull-​on Frye riding boots here to have them stretched at the calf. I asked about a million questions, because I was scared that doing this would forever damage this expensive purchase I’d just made. Aimee was suuuuper friendly and explained to me what the process would be. She had me try the boots on (I could barely get them up –uncomfortable tugging, needing to sit, sweating a little bit). Jimmy, who would be working on them, came out to measure and make sure the stretching process would work. They were very thorough; Jimmy checked each boot individually. He told me that the process might be a slow one, and that I might need to come back multiple times to try on the boots to get them to the right stretch. I was really happy about this, actually; they seemed to care about doing the right job and for my boots to fit properly.
About a week later Aimee called and I went to try on the boots. They fit PERFECTLY. I was so pleased with the work they had done! They gave my boots a final conditioning and sent me on my way.
Major bonus: This business is run by very kind people who communicate clearly and care about the quality of their work. It’s important to me to patronize local businesses that value relationships with their customers; I will absolutely be back.
Other things:
— cash only, up front
— not crazy cheap, but worth the quality of the work (and the trust of the people doing it)
— no longer called Benjamin’s, but still in the same spot

I am REALLY unhappy with my shoes this time around. I came to trust Benjamin’s over the years, but this last two pair of shoes I spent almost $ 50 on is a huge letdown.
The glue job in my almost mint shoes is terrible — there’s all kinds of glue overflowing around the attachment of the sole to the upper shoe! There’s also dried black glue (?) along the edges which really makes them look terrible.
Another pair of shoes I got «re-​soled» look like they weren’t soled at all! There is a «sole» on there now that looks like the sole that was underneath the one that got replaced — which leads me to wonder – did they even put a new sole on it? Also, I wonder if they did as well because the shoes don’t feel good when I walk in them. The back little raised heel on the bottom is LOWER than the «sole» in the front bottom?
I’m really confused and really unhappy. I’m hopefully getting my money back when I bring them back and don’t plan on going back again.

Got my husband’s shoes resoled here. They charged what I thought was a fair rate and they did an excellent job. Aimee was incredibly helpful and friendly. I will be coming back here for all future shoe repairs!

It is actually very difficult to find someone that will do actual shoe/​bag *restorations* in the city. I found this business through a recommendation, and though they appear to have a fairly bare bones operation, they do fabulous work.
I’ve taken top quality Italian boots and heels that needed to be re-​built and re-​soled and they worked with me to get just the right «step», because even a centimeter can make a difference. They are fast and efficient, and as I try to buy only good quality shoes and have them maintained, this is the perfect business for me. Amy is an absolute doll, and she couldn’t be more accommodating. She always conditions the leather and I feel like I am able to benefit from a service that will help me extend the wear of my shoes/​bags for years more than they would last otherwise.
I would and do recommend them to anyone looking for this kind of business., It is true that sometimes you may pay a little bit more money than you might expect, but at the end of the day, you’re getting work done that simply no one else will even *do* so I am just thrilled to pieces that I can continue to wear things i love!
Cash only /​up front payment preferred.

I was able to go after hours to pick up my shoes. They are really flexible if you call in advance. Impressed with the turn-​around time (but was also told currently there’s not much back up) – literally within a day. The job was well done as well. For one pair new soles were put on and were even stitched. I also found replacement laces!!! Bonus surprise!
Jimmy (i think that’s his name) is very amiable and conversational. Salt of the earth. Overall a great experience. Just to know that the cost may be higher that the usual. I guess we’ll have to see how long the heels will last me.

I dropped off a pair of suede pumps the other day. I was unhappy with the price I was told until I received the shoes. When they were ready (the same day), they called to let me know. The heels and tips looked great and it also looked as though the heels were touched up as well as the suede. I’m taking a second pair there today and would recommend them.

These people are great! Beyond the quality of the work and fair price I was quoted, the customer service was memorable in the best way. So, though I don’t have many leather repair shop experiences to compare this too, I was really impressed.

I love Benjamin’s! I’ve come here for years and they’ve saved many of my favorite pairs of shoes from retirement. Every pair comes back perfectly repaired and cleaned up. They’ve always had a fast turn-​around time, maybe 2 – 3 days. As noted before, you do pay in advance and its cash only.

Absolutely wonderful service. I took in two pairs of heels that needed new nubs on the bottom and some repair work on one of the heels’ fabric. Two days and $ 30 ($ 15/​shoe) later, I have my heels back and they’re looking like new. The place itself is right on Jewelers Row. Inside it’s extremely basic, nothing fancy about Benjamin’s Shoe Repair, that’s for sure. But man do they know shoes! Ladies, if you have heels in need of repair, head straight to this cobbler. They’ll fix you up in no time flat.

The neighborhood seems to be full of small, old-​timey shops run by quirky, old-​timey dudes, and Benjamin’s is no exception. The guy seems like he spent one too many years inhaling shoe polish fumes… but in a loveable way.
This was my go-​to shoe repair spot when I used to work nearby. My shoes weren’t always ready when he promised they would be, but… oh, Benjamin, I could never be mad at you. After all, you gave me the «Pretty Girl Discount.»
If I recall correctly, they charge up front and it’s cash only.
Oh, they make keys, too. I don’t know if that’s a standard shoe-​repair thing or not, but it’s convenient.

The owner is a bit quirky and will be quick to point out that he specializes in «shoe restoration» not «shoe repair».
He is also quite the busy man, as he works exclusively with the walnut street theater. So, according to him, he is very selective with his clientele.
If he likes you, he will repai-​, er, i mean restore your shoes.
Goody for me – he liked me and replaced the heels on my boots, repaired a few tears, and shined them up for $ 12. i was very happy.
I will be back. .. if he will have me.