Timpson

Timpson is the sort of shop you can’t do without, for all of life’s little essentials, like getting keys cut or shoes heeled or soled. They also do watch batteries, watch strap replacements, door name plates, and passport photos — no smiling now.
They sell all manner of shoe items — polish, laces, scuff repair etc. I really don’t know why I bother going to shoe shops to get those sort of things when Timpson’s are likely to have the same thing much cheaper.
I like the guys in this shop. There’s 2 in particular who have worked here for donkey’s, and you get a wee bit of friendly banter from them. Not as much as from the guy in the Byres Rd branch — he’s amazing with the funny chat, but still friendly and pleasant. One of them even fixed a boot for me for free once — it was just a wee bit of glue, but I really appreciated it.
I love that for a tiny wee shop you can fit a surprising number of people in it, and it’s always busy. It just always reminds me of those old comedy sketches where you’d see how many folk could cram into a mini or a telephone box, and I have a wee laugh to myself while I’m waiting for my keys or shoes.

This is a great shop and very handy for items like shoe repair, having spare keys cut, to dog tags. I always find that you get good advice from staff and they will advise on anything if your unsure