Al’s Shoe Service

Great place the owner Larry is really personable has funny stories, reasonable prices and provides great results!

Larry was great! Very welcoming and engaging. He fixed my broken shoe on the spot (as the shoe repair store by my home could not fix) and had very reasonable prices. I would definitely recommend coming here.

I’ve had a belt shortened, a belt buckle repaired, new heels and polishing of pumps, boots repaired and re-​heeled, etc.,…you get the idea! Larry is a craftsman, is service-​oriented, friendly and talented. Highly recommend!!!

Love this place. Have had heel taps added to my shoes and had heel toppers replaced. Work is done quickly and at a fair price. Larry (the owner) is a good guy who will keep you entertained if he has time to repair your shoes on the spot.

I brought my brand new pair of Danner work boots into Al’s shop. Danner said I would have to ship my boots back to them. They said it would take 6 – 7 weeks for me to get them back. Al fixed the stitching in less than 20 minutes. They both look better now than they did from the manufacturer. It only cost me 20 bucks. The guy is a pro and is really nice & polite. I won’t take my shoes to get fixed by anyone else now.

Wonderful place. I took a watch strap in to get repaired. was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had in some time. Al was so friendly, fixed my watch right there, excellent craftmanship.

I called Al’s this morning with a unique issue: I needed a part on my ice hockey skate repaired and needed it done quickly. I spoke with Larry on the phone and he sounded apprehensive as to whether or not he would be able to help me. He insisted that I bring the skate in so he could see the issue and make sure he could do the repair. I brought it in on my lunch, he took my skate and went to work. 20 minutes, one broken sewing machine needle and $ 15 (cash only) later, my skate was as good as new. Larry was fair, honest and reasonably priced. Thanks again, Larry.
Also, beware the dog. She is adorable and likes to be petted.

I just picked up a pair of chucks since they took a beating last winter. Cleaned and polished, they look great! Don’t expect miracles but it’s a honest shop with fair prices. Larry will give you his opinion regarding what he can and can’t do along with a price. Ohh yeah bring cash they don’t accept plastic.

The job: A vintage hat box needing a new buckled leather strap.
The good: Al and his assistant are cordial. Al listens to what you need done and even called by phone to make sure of the specifics you require before proceeding with the job. I went here to support a local business, even as I considered doing the job myself prior.
The bad: Two weeks ago the buckled strap to my vintage hat box crumbled. I brought it to Al’s to get a price quote on what it would cost for a brand new leather strap to be attached to the hat box. After describing what needed to be done (a leather strap trimmed and fashioned to accommodate the old buckle I had, and attached to the hat box with studs), I was quoted $ 20 and was asked if I was able to wait to get the job done. However, the piece of leather scrap I selected was a bit short for the length I wanted, so Al said he will have to order more of it before the job could be done, and that it may take up to 2 weeks, and that the job will then cost $ 25 – 30. I agreed to wait for the new piece of leather to come in.
One week later, I decided an existing belt I had was the acceptable color and length I needed. I brought it to Al’s and said he can cancel the order for the leather and that he can use the leather belt I brought with me. We went through the specifics again and he said the job should be done the following week. He said it will cost $ 25 – 30, he’s not sure, but that he will have to see what the job actually will entail. I wondered about this quote, because why would he charge more if I was providing my own leather this time and he didn’t even have to fashion the belt to accommodate the old buckle, as this belt had its own buckle. But I agreed to proceed with the job, as I rather hoped he would only charge me $ 20 which I would be happy to pay in support of a local business.
Today I picked up the hat box and he did the job beautifully. Attached to the hat box with studs, trimmed nicely to fit into the loops on the sides of the hat box, and the raw edges dyed and the whole strap conditioned. I was charged $ 25. When I asked why there was a difference between the first quote of $ 20 which to my mind necessitated more work, and the final charge of $ 25 when I provided my own leather and there was less work on account of the built in buckle, Al was prepared with an answer. He said because of the time he had to put into it. He said he typically charges $ 1 per minute of labor, and that if he really charged me $ 1/​min, he would have asked for $ 35.
Bottom line: I did not push the issue further as I have heard his reasoning behind the charge. But this is why I will not return to this business. You may feel differently and will pay any price for good craftsmanship whether you provide the raw materials or not, but arbitrary pricing is something I do not tolerate. His business will not hurt for customers as he seems to have a lot of fans on Unilocal.But count me out.

Al’s Shoe Service was recommended to me today to get the straps on back of my Doctor Marten’s sandals shortened. It was 20 minutes work only, and now they don’t slide back and forth on my heels. I can walk with confidence now. Larry has saved the sandals and my feet! In short, this feels like a miracle.

Went here based on Unilocal reviews, Unilocal hasn’t let me down yet and I can see why! Larry is the current shop owner and he is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I had a zipper fixed on a designer shoe. Great service, friendly environment. Love this place!

We have a few pairs of our shoes repaired here in the past few years and we have always been happy with the service and product. Even we have moved further away now, I still insist to bring my shoes back here to repair.
They do not take credit cards, cash and check only! :)

This place is great. I’ve brought several pairs here over the years and they always do a phenomenal job of fixing up my old heels. Recently redid the inside of a pair of Micheal Kohrs wedges. The leather was peeling up, but I love these shoes. Fixed them in less than 12 hours and I even got a beautiful flute solo from Larry! I’ll definitely be back.

Top notch service, top notch entertainment. There’s no wonder why Larry’s shop is among the last of a dying breed.

Al’s son (and current owner, flutist) Larry is awesome. The man can fix nearly anything and his personality is warm, funny, and genuine. This shop is a gem in the northwest suburbs!

As one of the reviewer’s pointed out, «Al will play the flute for you». That’s true. In fact, it seems Al would rather play the flute than wait on his customers.
When I arrived, during business hours, I spoke to his assistant (Bridgett) about the shoe repair I needed to have done (Al was too busy playing the flute to wait on me personally). She said she wasn’t sure of the price or if the repair could even be done and I would have to, «wait until Al was finished playing his flute».
I walked out. I’ve been there twice before for repairs but I will never go back. If Al would rather play the flute than service his customers I’ll find someplace else that values my business.

Well worth the distance for me! Larry is a true craftsman. His shop is clean, he charges a fair price for repairs & his repair quality is EXCELLENT. He also does exceptional orthopedic modifications. Children young & old can be assured a penny to play his gumball prize machine before leaving the shop. He loves his customers & knows them all personally. It is a pleasure to utilize his shoe services.

I’m so glad other Unilocalers helped me find Al’s Shoe Service!
Being fairly new to the NW suburbs, I didn’t know where to take my favorite pair of boots after losing a heel. Searching for a local cobbler with outstanding reviews, I saw what people were saying about Larry (the owner of Al’s Shoe Service) and knew he was the one. All of the wonderful reviews are true! He is quite the character, incredibly personable and helpful, as well as being a great craftsman (my shoes won’t be finished for a few more days but he showed me work he was doing on others). He also provided me with some really cool trivia about my name, which my mother wasn’t even aware of, and performed a flute solo of Autumn Leaves.
Such a cool experience!

Larry is a character! A wonderful and warm person who loves what he does. There are many shoe repairmen out there, but few true cobblers left. Larry falls into the latter category.
The prices are better than fair for the amount and quality of work … not to mention for the addition to experience Larry’s quirky, wonderful personality.

Larry (Al’s son, Al is deceased) is not only a fabulous shoe repairman, but a really neat guy. He’ll play the flute and sing for you when you are in his shop. Oh, and his dog is with him during the week, but he gives the pup Saturdays off so I have never met the dog.
Really great, long-​standing family owned business. Tradespeople like this are few and far between.