The shoe repair shop creased my pair of cordovan chukkas...

So I took my new pair of ravello Alden chukkas into Brooks Shoe Repair in Chicago, based on positive recommendations from Styleforum members. The job was simple: apply a Topy rubber sole, and wax the shoes.

When I got the shoes back one of them looked like someone had folded it over and ironed it. There's an ENORMOUS crease, a bright tan line across what was once a solid brown shoe.

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/x...g?t=1265045442

and here is the good shoe for comparison:

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/x...g?t=1265045791

(They are the same color, but I think the flash hit the left shoe differently from the right shoe.)

The purpose of this post is twofold
* If you're in chicago, AVOID Brooks
* I plan to go back and chew them out, but my question is can this damage be fixed, and how so?

Edit: For Pete's sake, this isn't "natural wear". The damage is highly visible, in an unnatural place, and is uncharacteristic of the wear you see on cordovan, which doesn't make sharp crease lines. Calfskin shouldn't make lines that sharp, either.

There's nothing wrong with that. Nothing is broken. They have a crease. Your shoes will crease when you walk, unless you don't plan on using them.

I agree that reflects on the care given, but your shoes will crease more when you wear them, unless you don't plan on wearing them.

What are you talking about? None of my shoes have sharp, highly visible creases look like that, not even the calfskin shoes I have worn for years.

I can understand why you are upset... but unless you plan to wear them with shorts, I doubt anyone would ever notice. I just would send you business elsewhere.

That's a pretty big crease! You all looking at the first pic?

Wear them a few months, and then ask Alden for a partial refund.

Put some good shoe trees in them and brush it. The crease will disappear.

Originally Posted by Mr. Moo

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Wear them a few months, and then ask Alden for a partial refund.

Heavens no. Not Alden's problem.

^ Mr Moo was being funny.....Geez!!
OP, wait till you see what happens to the sole when you walk in them!!!! Its horrible!!!!

Regards.

Originally Posted by Shikar

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OP, wait till you see what happens to the sole when you walk in them!!!! Its horrible!!!!
Yeah. I thought about calling the city regarding this. I walked on their sidewalk, and it scratched the sole of my shoes. I want them to pay for it.

Originally Posted by Shikar

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^ Mr Moo was being funny.....Geez!!

Based on what? No smilie. And enough folks around here that would mean that.

Originally Posted by Mr. Moo

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Wear them a few months, and then ask Alden for a partial refund.

Originally Posted by Eligius

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Heavens no. Not Alden's problem.

Originally Posted by Eligius

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Based on what? No smilie. And enough folks around here that would mean that.

Based on the fact that Moo tried to do that with a bag he owned and used for months.

I understand the OP's concern. An unnatural crease is an unnatural crease, and with shell, a crease in the wrong place can spell pain down the road. In this case, I imagine the boots are still perfectly wearable, but I don't see how applying Topys should have resulted in this. It's not the same as honest wear, no more so than if they'd come back with a water stain on them. Sure, it might happen at some point, but it shouldn't happen at the hands of a professional you're paying, presumably for his expertise.

What to be done? That I don't know. I just wouldn't go back to that cobbler if there are other options.

Originally Posted by rebel222

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Based on the fact that Moo was successful in doing that with a bag he owned and used for months that was sold to him under false pretenses.

FTFY