McFarland's Shoe Repair — Local services in Lakeland

Jim McFarland is, in my opinion, the most competent and passionate cobbler I have worked with. I will be sending him more of my shoes and would recommend his shop to my friends and family without any hesitation.

Here's some background. I wanted to have flush metal toe plates, also known as Lulu or Triumph plates, installed on two of my British-made shoes, by Gaziano & Girling and Crockett & Jones. The only problem is that none of the cobblers I know locally in my area--I live in one of the five largest cities in the U.S. and not in Lakeland--offer this service. These plates are challenging to install and require parts from Europe. After some online research, I came across Jim's shop. And am I glad that I found McFarland's Shoe Repair.

I mailed my shoes to Jim's shop in Lakeland and I am extremely satisfied with his work.

This was my experience:

Jim is clearly passionate and knowledgeable about his craft. When I first called him, Jim took his time to walk me through the different options for toe plates and, in the process, taught me a thing or two about shoes. I was so impressed by his expertise, that I mailed him my shoes the very same day.

The work was impeccable. After McFarland's received my shoes, Jim called me to confirm that Triumph metal toe plates can be installed on my shoes and walked me through how he would install them. He turned my shoes around in a day--mind you, installing metal toe plates is not a straightforward task. The plates were installed perfectly; it's clear that Jim treats his customer's property with great care and attention to detail. The shoes arrived back nicely packaged.

The prices are extremely reasonable. In addition, Jim is honest and you can trust him to be fair.

All in all, I will be sending more of my shoes to Jim and McFarland's...

Absolutely fantastic experience. I walked in and was instantly greeted by the kind staff at the front desk.

Mr.Macfarland shortly came out to help me color match my boots with some polish. He spent the next half hour talking to me about proper boot care, and specific products in the industry in addition to his recommendations.

He is a retired pediatrist which speaks legions for his ability to make sure your shoes are curated for your foot.

I walked in only wanting to buy some polish. But after talking to him briefly, I actually upsold myself; inquiring about boot shaft savers and some metatarsal inserts for my cowboy boots.

I'd actually like to spend a whole day listening to what this man has to say. Truly incredible amount of knowledge that he possesses.

I've been to 3 different cobbler stores in the area. All of them were alright. This place stood out miles above the rest in how different the service and storefront was.

If you're having any doubts about this place: get rid of them. He is a human, but I can tell he will absolutely back all of his work.

Let this place make your shoes better and don't regret walking into this store.

Update 10/30/23 - I actually had some work done on one of my boots. The insole was caved in and the boot was extremely loose on just my left foot as a result. Their skilled cobblers replaced half the insole with brand new leather for a very reasonable cost. The boot fits like a glove now and I'm even happier...

I first started using Jim after chatting with him on Social media, and expressing issues and concerns I had with the last cobbler I used. Jim was quick to respond and more than happy to have the shoes mailed in. Once he received them, he provided regular updates, pictures of work, just top notch customer service which is just as, if not more important than the shoe repair work. Fast forward to today, he’s worked on at least 10 pairs of my shoes, never once, was the work or the experience less than impeccable. Jim values the relationship with his customers, and when supporting a small business I prefer to support those like Jim who genuinely appreciate and care for his customers. This was evident by the fact whenever I see my shoes in his shop, or packed and returned, he cares for the shoes. He doesn’t stack them on top of one another in a dirty closet or cabinet. He cares for the footwear just as if they were his own shoes.

His knowledge of shoe repair may only be exceeded by his knowledge of the anatomy of the foot. No matter the request, no matter the issue with your shoes or the fit of your shoes, Jim is your man. Not to mention his pricing is extremely reasonable!

To be honest, I have a pair on the...