Who We Are
"Our cobblers weren’t always online. Then again, they didn’t have the internet in 1906."
Our Mission
To rewaken the art of shoe repair
"We believe that repairing shoes, boots, and bags – and not throwing them away – will lead to a healthier planet and happier humanity. Choosing to “repair over replace” means less waste and more joy and gratitude for what we have.”
Stephen Kelly
Co-Founder & CEO
A New Way to Cobble
"We think it's safe to say that most people probably aren't expecting to find shoe repair online, but we hope that you're pleasantly surprised to have found it!"
What We Do
Craftsmanship, Delivered
Cobbling – better known as shoe repair – is a specialized craft that has been passed down thru generations and is sadly disappearing from neighborhoods across the country. In fact, many people don’t even know that shoes, boots, and bags can be repaired. Crazy, right? That’s what we thought!
Cobblers Direct – who’s repair lineage dates back to 1906 – has set out to bring artisanal shoe repair back to those who need it, and to enlighten those who don’t even know it exists.
By taking our shoe repair services online, we’re able to deliver the incredible craftsmanship of our lifelong cobblers to everyone, everywhere.
The Shoe Hospitals
"The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Or in our case, the hammer, plier and anvil!"
Our History
A Long Line of Cobblers
Cobblers Direct is a homespun spin-off of the world-famous Shoe Hospital family of companies that have carefully repaired tens of millions of shoes, boots, handbags, and belts throughout the great state of Texas since 1906.
Today, the Shoe Hospital family of companies is the largest shoe repair company in the world, taking great pride in the quality of our craft and our team of lifelong artisans.
In the early 2000’s, people began mailing their shoes and boots (unsolicited) to our doorstep, asking us to fix them. Some couldn’t find a local repair shop, while others were longtime customers who had moved out-of-state and knew we'd be happy to help.
We realized quickly that there was a need to make our shoe repair accessible online, so we could reach anyone and everyone who sought it – even overseas.
And thus, Cobblers Direct was born!
Austin, Texas
"We’re from all over Texas, but Cobblers Direct put down roots in the capital city of Austin."
Where We Are
Keep Austin Weird
We’re not exactly sure why that’s our city’s motto, and yet, it makes so much sense.
Austin is known for live music, world-class BBQ, our giant village of bats, and of course, shoe repair.
You’ll be happy to know that while your favorite things are here with us, we’ll treat them to the best kolaches our city has to offer before they land happily back on your doorstep to enjoy again, as if it was the very first time you met.
Sustainability
"If you can believe it, nearly 1.5 million tons of waste is produced each year in the manufacture of new footwear, and that number doesn’t take into account the shoes being thrown in the trash."
Impact Earth
Repair Over Replace
Few things are as destructive to animal life and our already overflowing landfills than new shoe and boot manufacturing.
The massive amounts of leather, the rubber and plastic waste, the chemicals used in dyeing and processing—even the packaging and shipping—is all unnecessary misuse of resources we could (and should) be recycling and re-using.
Our society’s increased access to low cost goods naturally encourages us all to buy more and more.
It’s become too easy to purchase cheap (and cheaply-made) shoes and boots that we’ll only use for a brief period of time before we swiftly toss them in the garbage when they start to look shabby or fall apart. Then what do we do? Buy more. More leather, more rubber, more chemicals. More and more waste.
We need to break this cycle and reach back to the sage philosophy we learned from our depression-era grandparents—waste not, want not.
Cobblers Direct is on a mission to challenge all humans to buy well-made, eco-responsibly manufactured shoes and boots that can be repaired by skilled cobblers and worn for years upon years upon years upon ... you get the idea.
We hope you’ll share in our mission and choose repair over waste!
Impact People
Kindness Through Giving
The Cobblers Direct family has been blessed to know incredibly brave children fighting cancer and other life-threatening diseases. We believe these kids deserve a better chance at a long and healthy life, which is why we are honored to support the great work of the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF). PCRF is dedicated to powering cures and helping kids realize futures by funding trailblazers in pediatric oncology to maximizing scientific discoveries for the current generation of kids facing cancer.
