In Business: Santa Barbara Shoe Repair

After losing hundreds of shoes and multiple pieces of expensive shoe repair equipment in a structure fire at his former location, Santa Barbara Shoe Repair – formerly De La Vina Shoe Repair – owner Bachir Ramadam has set up shop at a spacious location on Haley Street near Anacapa Street. “I’m happy that I have a new space to welcome my customers,” Ramadam told us during a visit to the store last week. 

Ramadam began repairing shoes and leather as a small child in Durango, Mexico, where he worked in his brother’s shop cleaning shoes and cutting leather; he has been in Santa Barbara almost 20 years and opened De La Vina Shoe Repair in 2015. After losing everything in the September 2017 fire at Bubbles & Beans, where the shop was located, he knew he wanted to reopen as soon as possible; his Haley Street location opened in December, just as the Thomas Fire was bearing down on our community. 

With the help of his wife, Elizabeth, and another shoe repair specialist, Marco, the store – which is the closest of its kind to Montecito – has been welcomed with open arms. The clean and industrial style interior was designed and constructed by Ramadam, who built the counter, shelving, and workspace himself. 

The shop specializes in all shoe repairs, including leather repair, re-soling, stretching, insoles, shoe shining, and more. The team can replace more than 700 different kinds of soles, including ones from specialty designer shoes. They also fix leather goods, including belts, luggage, handbags, and more. A retail section of the store offers insoles, shoe cream, arch supports, heel pads, shoe stretchers, and more, as well as a selection of handmade leather purses and wallets. 

The shop is located at 102 East Haley Street and is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 7 pm, and 9 am to 5 pm on Saturdays. Call (805) 453-0799 for more information.