La Gondola Shoe Repair

These guys are great. The have maintained my shoes and other leather goods for years.

I’ve had an awful experience here and so have two of my friends. The owner (?) is not willing to admit when work needs to be redone and becomes irrationally belligerent when confronted in a calm Wayne customers.
A perfect example:
My wife paid quite a lot for a zipper on some expensive boots to be repaired. The stitching looked fairly weak and she mentioned it before taking them home, but was made to feel unappreciative when she questioned his professional expertise. When the stitching came undone a couple of weeks later and she returned to have the boots repaired again, he refused to listen to her request and started yelling at her and telling her that she was at fault for «wearing hem incorrectly.»
I’ve lived in this neighborhood for 16 years and am always happy to support local businesses, but I’ll never go to this place again, and advise the same for anyone else.

Took a pair of Gucci shoes there as they were coming apart a bit. I found this place at random as its next to the pizza place I go to. I needed repair on the heels and wanted them to just rejuvenate the shoes. I told them it was a rush and they said they will work with me and get it done within 2 hours. I decided to go next door to Wood pizza and by the time I was done eating, they called me and let me know the shoes are ready. Lastly I noticed that they cut keys and the guy cut a key for me on the house! I got my shoes and they looked amazing plus speedy service and a free key. What more can you ask for?

I’ve been here more than a few times and I figure it’s about time I write a review. I just got back two pairs of some of my most favorite shoes and they both look brand-​new. They replaced the cushioned insoles with even softer insoles, they took out every single scuff, re heeled, and polished them up so well that I can’t believe these were once my old beat up shoes. Both pairs look absolutely perfect! I’m so excited to have basically brand-​new shoes all over again!

Just got my boots back, and it’s like they performed a miracle. These boots were falling apart, ripping at the heel, and just so beat up. Fixed up like new in less than a week, for much less money than I thought it would be. And I paid by credit card. I only wish I would’ve come to them sooner! Highly recommended for leather repairs, and the man was super sweet.

They’re wonderful here. In particular, they are very gracious. For even the littlest of jobs like sewing a buckle loop back down on my shoe, they have thanked me profusely, smiling & encouraging me to come again. It’s nice to leave a place knowing that your business is appreciated and certainly does encourage me to come back. Not to mention, they are extremely efficient and have always finished a job well done within just a few days.
Highly recommended!

These two old men are the sweetest people! I don’t know why the other reviews are negative. I mean, 30-​some years of being in business kinda gives us a clue that they know what they’re doing. They got my heels done in 15 minutes and they worked on it right in front of me. I’m bringing all my shoes here for repair!

Ruined a pair of suede shoes, I needed a quick cleaning and they totally ruined the pair. The original spots were still there when they finished.
Based on other reviews it seems this place is good for repairs but not for cleaning, so beware. He will tell you «no problem» but unfortunately sir, there is a still a problem.
Cash only.

i vastly prefer independently owned and operated businesses, but coming here was a truly terrible experience. please, never go here. NEVER. especially not with any sort of luxury brand items.
they completely ruined a very expensive item, and then the owner refused to admit fault, going so far as to argue that it was «better» now that he had changed it. of course, no chance of even the slightest compensation — what’s the point in having a guarantee???
the owner was incredibly rude, screaming and yelling, becoming immediately defensive, and then refusing to listen — all strong indicators of guilt. he’s a lunatic, and a scummy one at that.
i will say that the guys he has working for him are quite nice, and i’m sorry that they have to endure this maniac. but this place is altogether rotten. STAY AWAY!!!

I had such high hopes for this place, but they ruined my bag. I took in a nubuck tote that had a stain on it. They promised me they could get it out, no problem. I asked numerous times if the treatment they’d use would harm the nubuck or change the texture or tone of the bag. They laughed and assured me they were experts that have been doing this for 20 years. They had the last laugh.
When I came to pick up the bag, needless to say, I found that they’d turned it into something that looked like cheap, shiny leather. They argued with me, first saying that it looked exactly the same as when I brought it in, then saying it looked better than it did before. The owner went so far as to tell me it was a «shit bag» to begin with. (It’s a Clare Vivier. I spent good money on it. It had a soft, suede feel that apparently wasn’t to the owner’s liking.)
Their disrespect was appalling. And they refused to take responsibility for having ruined the quality of my bag. They were horrible, mean, and incompetent.
Please don’t give them your business.

These guys do a great job, great prices, and they are both really nice guys!!! So happy they are in my neighborhood! :)

Have had nothing but great experiences out of this place; virtually every boot in my closet has been re-​soled by these guys. Recommended highly.

Awesome place for repairing shoes! Guys are super sweet and know exactly what they do.
I recommend.

I am very surprised by the reviews this place has received. I brought in a pair of boots because I had worn one heel down considerably more than the other. Their posted hours say they open at 8:30 but he was there at 7:45 and gladly took my shoes at that time. It only took him two days and when I got them back they were actually in better shape than when I originally bought them. He did good, clean work.
I would prefer it if they had a credit card machine, but I know small businesses hate the pay the fees so I guess I understand. I would definitely go back with any repairs I needed.

Good, Cheap and Fast.

I have pretty much the same story as everyone else here who thinks this place is awful. They polished my shoes to a darker shade of brown and left the heel the original shade. They put heel pads on the bottom of wedges that make the shoes not wedges anymore. They look ridiculous. They replaced a zipper on a bag that broke a year later and I had to get it redone. The zipper sucked to begin with and was hard to zip. They can never find my shoes and always give me someone else’s at first. I don’t know why I kept giving these guys chances, so I finally decided to forever take my business elsewhere. On a side note, working in that tiny shop with those fumes must be terrible for those guys!

I recently moved to LA from NYC where I was incredible happy with COWBOY Shoe Repair (formerly on Prince, now on Broome). That dude hooked up my feet for nearly 10 years. Thankfully, I have LA GONDOLA as a replacement.
I don’t even know why this place has gotten bad reviews because these Armenians are AMAZING!!! AND FRIENDLY.
Thus far, I’ve taken in a total of 8 shoes in for repairs on various levels. We’re talking bad to bad as hell. Every time I picked up my shoes I’ve been super impressed.
I’m not a girl who spends money at Payless because I want to buy sustainable products that will last multiple lifetimes. I buy quality shoes and want to keep them as awesome as possible. As you can imagine, dropping $ 3 – 600 on a pair of shoes does not allow the possibility of using a shitty place for repairs.
The last experience I had with LA GONDOLA was slightly religious. I dropped off a pair of MISSONI (not for Target) wedges that had been scuffed/​torn up while walking in a rock garden. I thought it was HOPELESS because of the use of knit prints on the wedge, LOW AND BEHOLD they miraculously stretched the fabric seamlessly. I AM A CONVERT.
When you go, please tell them the Hungarians say hi! ;)

This business is a joke. The old man, the owner I guess, has no people skills. He is extremely rude and has no clue how to communicate with his customers. He doesn’t realize that in this market people have options and if you don’t treat them well they will walk out of your store and go somewhere else. So guess what? That’s exactly what I did after he tried to rip me off by giving me an outrageous estimate for the work my boots needed (heels and cleaning). He made no attempt to listen to my concerns and acted as if I owed him something.
The lesson: unless you learn how to be nice to your customers, your business will fall apart. Guaranteed!

Clearly, this place doesn’t know how to repair vintage Fryes, because I just read Michelle P.‘s review; I had an experience so darn near identical it made me think I had already posted.
Same experience: I asked them to fix the sole, which was coming off, and they clearly just stuck some glue on it. Within two weeks the boots came apart again. If I’d used Super Glue myself, it would have lasted longer.
Reviewers praise their prices but, man, you don’t get shit for what you pay for with these guys.

I love mom-​and-​pop businesses and feel ever so slightly bad calling these guys out, but I have to say that I would definitely advise you NOT to frequent this establishment. Each * below (there are 4) indicates a source of dissatisfaction/​jackassery.
I took in a pair of boots to have the calf area reduced. * I was quoted $ 50 and later found that a co-​worker got the same work at a different establishment for half the amount. As the old man (the father of the other man) inspected the boots, * he got shoe glue on them. I sort of freaked out and he told me not to worry and that they would shine the boots upon completion of the work. He took measurements of my leg in the boot and made sloppy marks with tape. I asked the son to give his opinion because I was a little worried that the measurements were off. The old man basically told me that I shouldn’t worry about it and that he’s been doing the work for a shitload of years. I was apologetic and admitted that I just really loved the boots and wanted to make sure the alteration was perfect.
When I went to pick up the boots, * the father and son couldn’t seem to find them. The son asked me what my name was. I told him and he brought out a bag with the a very different name on it. After futzing around for 10 minutes, he finally found my boots. I put them on and they fit great. I paid and left. Stupid.
When I got home, I realized that * the workmanship was ATROCIOUS. The seams and cut leather were all off. It looked like a 5-​year-​old had done the work.
I returned to point out my concerns at which point both * the father and son became indignant, insisting that I go to the back of the store and look at their machine. Then the old man claimed that THEIR work was all by hand and that it wasn’t done by a machine and that’s why it’s not perfect. Huh? The son was the most upset, saying something like their stitching had NEVER come undone and that I had nothing to worry about and that the work was guaranteed. When I questioned the guarantee, he just walked off. I decided to save my energy and not argue any further – being called «Lady» as if it were my name got really old after about one time.