Can You Sew Patches onto Vests?

We can sew your patches onto your vests, jackets, hats, bags, etc.  From small patches like the one in the picture to the very large ones that go on the back.  Bring yours in today.

How Do You Clean Smelly, Stinky Shoes? We KLENZ Them!

I attended the 107th Shoe Service Institute of America Conference this weekend in St. Petersburg, FL and was introduced to this new Machine called the KLENZ.  It is a multi-purpose sanitizer.  It uses nano-silver technology to sanitize and deodorize pretty much anything that accumulates bacteria.  We will use it primarily for shoes and handbags.

Why should you bring your shoes in to use our KLENZ system?

• Removes all odors
• Kills 99.7 % of bacteria inside and outside the shoes
• Helps prevent athletes foot
• No Chemicals
•  It takes only one 8 minute cycle in the KLENZ machine

So bring in your stinky, smelly, shoes and let us sanitize and deororize them, it only takes 8 minutes.

Can You Cut Down or Lower Ladies Heels?

I am often asked "Can you can cut down or lower heels?" The answer is YES!  There is however a limit to how much you can take off.  As you lower the heel the weight of walking is shifted towards the back of the shoe.  You don't want to feel like you are leaning backwards.  Most ladies heels like the one pictured here can be lowered as much as 3/8", sometimes 1/2".  That doesn't sound like much, but it can make a big difference.  So, if you find a pair you really like, but the are to high, consider having them lowered.

Can You Stretch Shoes?

A Question I often hear...



Can you stretch shoes?


Yes, we can!!


Now, let's talk about what shoes stretch best and the areas we can stretch.


The material your shoes are made of will result in varying degrees of success.

1. Leather- stretches and holds the stretch the best
2. Fabric- will stretch fairly well, but not as well as leather
3. Man-made materials (vinyl, plastics)- do not stretch well, they are very elastic and want to return to their original shape.


Most people who have tight or snug shoes would just like them loosened up through the width. A Wooden Stretcher with Stretch fluid will do the job. Stretch fluid is sprayed on the leather upper. This opens the pores and allows the leather to relax and take a good stretch. The correct sized stretcher is inserted and then cranked out. As you crank, the two halves of the stretcher spread out. Crank it out until you feel good pressure on each side. There is a little metal piece, which I call a bunyonette, that you can place where needed on the stretcher for a little extra stretch in a specific area.


You can stretch most any area of the shoe: width, vamp, length. If a customer is complaining that their toes are rubbing the end of the shoe, can we give them a half size more length. Not likely. It's much easier to get more width than more length.

Can you stretch steel toed boots?

Sorry, but no. When purchasing steel toed boots always make sure your toes have plenty of wiggle room. That may mean going up a half size or a width. If your toes rub the steel in the beginning of that first day, you will be hurting at the end of the day and you will also be out a pair of boots!

Here at Edgewood Drive Shoe Repair we try to guarantee stretches. If you need more we will re-stretch your shoes at no charge. We will make sure you understand what to expect, and note any specific areas that are troublesome.

We recommend that if you have 3 or more pair of shoes that need some attention, go ahead and invest in your own stretcher and stretch fluid. They are built to last many, many years.

Do You Wear Your Heels Down Quickly?

My heels wear down quickly on the outside edge, is there anything you can do about that?

This is a frequent question and there is a solution to this problem . Most shoes I see show the most wear on the outside heel. This is just the normal walking motion for a high percentage of people, a small number walk the inside heel down first.

Wear is slower or more rapid depending on several of the following variables:

1. The surface your walking on (carpet, concrete)

2. Your height and weight

3. The gait of your stride(do you drag you feet?)

4. The heel material (crepe, urethane, rubber, leather)

5. The frequency you wear your shoes

A product called a Heel Plate can be installed over the wear area to extend the life of your heels. The Heel Plate can then be replaced as you go through it rather then replace your heels. A great idea for people who know they always have extensive heel wear is to have Heel Plates put on their shoes when they are brand new.

Heel Plates come in many different shapes and sizes to fit most any shoes. Heel Plates are made in two materials; polyurethane, which are quiet, and metal, which wear very well but make you sound like a tap dancer.

Heel Plates are a repair job that we normally do WHILE U WAIT. Extend the life of your shoes today.

Do your shoes slip on the heel?

This is a question that I often hear asked, What can you do for my shoes that slip on the heel?

There are several fitting aids that can solve this problem. I approach the problem differently depending on the style of shoe.

For Men:

I will often suggest a TONGUE PAD. This is a piece of self-adhesive backed felt that is place under the tongue of the shoe. It helps hold the foot back in the shoe and usually solves the problem.

For Women:

- High heel closed shoe: This type of shoe has no room for a tongue pad, so I will use a HEEL GRIP instead. This is a contoured shaped sponge-rubber or Suede leather, self-adhesive back piece that fits into the upper portion of the heel counter. It helps take up space and solves the slipping problem. The only draw back to the HEEL GRIP is sometimes they roll down when the shoe is put on. It's important to use a shoe horn!!

- Sling Backs or Strappy Shoes: The problem I sometimes see with this type of shoe is the strap falls off the back of the heel when the customer walks. This is because the foot is sliding forward in the shoe. A HALTER / FOOT CUSHION just under the ball of the foot will stop this sliding, hold the foot in place, and the back strap stays in place.

We use the J.T.FOOTE product line of fitting aids. Stop by and get a better fit from your favorite shoes.