CitySoles.com

Do not order from these scam artists! I ordered a pair of shoes on their website in September 2025. When the shoes did not arrive, I emailed to see what was going on. Someone named Scott Starbuck replied to say that the color I wanted was out of stock but that they could send me a different color. I said that I did not want another color and asked for a refund. Never head from them again, despite several attempts to follow up. I'm now out $200 and have opened a dispute with my credit card company.

The owner is really cool, and the dogs are beautiful. I was impressed with their selection of quality shoes. I definitely will be back to buy shoes and send my friends. I like the fact that it’s a unique handpicked selection of shoes that you won’t find elsewhere.

Visited Chicago for a couple days, and found this place right before leaving. Love this little shop, always great to see shops that carry more unique collections. Also friendly owner with two welcoming huskies! ❤️ p.s. I also bought a pair of cool shoes

Great store been shopping with them for over 20 years. Consistent and quality shoes.. very comfortable..

Excellent selection of high quality shoes at fair prices. Staff is super friendly and helpful. I bought a pair of sandals for a trip to Italy earlier this year and they did not disappoint - great recommendation by the staff. They even got the velcro strap on the sandals switched out to a buckle for me in time for my trip.

I am addicted to shoes. I only have about 100 pairs but I am always looking for more. This store is a great little boutique. Lots of local designers, which I love. It is pricey. Most shoes are upwards of $150, but super cute and you're supporting local shopping. The staff was super nice, helpful, etc.

Had a lot of fun browsing in this store. I didn’t actually make a purchase but the owner was great. He pointed out what was on sale and clearance and offered red, white, or rosé wine and espresso while we shopped. He was very knowledgeable about the source of the materials and assured us that items in the shop were fair-trade and sustainably sourced. Two huskies were friendly that they softly spoke “Woo-Woooo” to alert you they desired a treat- which was absolutely hilarious.

So, I’ve never actually been in the store (yet!) but I recently won a pair of sandals through a giveaway and I love them! I was picked after a virtual yoga class put on by Zen Yoga Garage to win sandals with soles made of yoga mats! They’re cute and comfy, I would recommend for sure but even better was the kindness and dedication to follow through with delivery by City Sole’s Team Leader Scott. We had some hiccups, details are irrelevant to this review but basically he went above and beyond so this place has good quality shoes and quality employees. Give them your business :) vote with your dollar and support local!

This place is great. I'm a bit of a collector - always on the lookout for comfortable shoes that actually don't look like granny shoes or granola mom shoes. It's a tough journey. Being on my feet all day sucks sometimes but it sucks less when I have good shoes. Found two pairs of boots here that are super unique, as well as comfortable for the entire day. The prices are also within a reasonable range. Owner is engaged & clearly passionate about his business.

Nice original shoes. Seems like there's a lot of discourse. My experience was great.

I went to buy shoes. They don't bother opening during their posted hours so don't bother making the trip.

If I could give negative stars I would!! Internet buyers beware. All is good and fine until you try to get a refund for the returned shoes that you sent back promptly. 6 weeks later, multiple repeated phone calls, texts, email messages I was ghosted. It finally took me reporting the company to the Better Business Bureau and contacting my credit card company to handle the dispute to get my refund. And the kicker is that the second pair of boots I received were not even the ones I ordered! After reading reviews I find I am not the only to experience such treatment. City Soles you should be ashamed.

If I could offer one piece of advice, it is this: Don't buy anything online from City Soles. For well over ten years, the owner has been notorious for failing to pay vendors for shoes he's ordered, received, and sold to customers. (One of the former managers told me this, after the store had been receiving almost daily calls from angry vendors who'd been stiffed.) If you've ever been a customer of City Soles and wondered why they stopped carrying your favorite shoe brand, it's because the vendor refuses to do business with the owner of the store. How this place is still in business is mystifying, but some of the other Yelp reviews make a lot of sense when taking into consideration that the owner has repeatedly dodged payment to vendors and was evicted from his old retail space.

Got my new amazing pair of shoes there last week love the Italian quality and how well the price and quality are balanced. One of my fave store to shop for shoes love the rare selection of designers !

Hoo boy. This just happened a couple hours ago. I'm the only customer in here, and I'm browsing the sale section in the back, so you can't really see me. This guy, big paunchy white guy, maybe late 40s, tinted shades, looks like the encyclopedia illustration for "80s porn director", comes in, and starts screaming  at the one salesgirl in the place, this petite young woman. Apparently she'd been a couple hours late coming in and opening up. The guy must've been the owner; among other, more obscene things, he was shrieking about how much money he'd lost that morning. I know running a small business is stressful, some employees can be difficult, yada yada, but seriously, you guys weren't there. Firing someone is one thing, doing it angrily is another thing (and he did both), but this guy sounded really unhinged, yelling really vulgar hateful stuff at the top of his voice. I don't care if this girl was the worst employee in the history of wage labor (and she wasn't, for the record, lateness notwithstanding -- she'd just been extremely friendly and helpful showing me around the store), you can't scream at anyone in a way that makes random bystanders fear for their literal safety. So I come out of the back and tell him that he can't speak to another person like that no matter what, and this guy starts yelling at me. So not only is he being an a******, but he's actually so deranged that he doesn't have the wherewithal to tone it down when speaking to a customer. At this point I'm seriously freaked out at his behavior, and he's much bigger than both of us, and I start moving my hand toward the mace in my bag. But the girl and I both wisely leave, with him screaming at our backs, and I walk her to her car, her crying and me trying to reassure her that whatever job she gets next can't possibly be worse than working for that guy. Oh, and the actual shoes were mad overpriced for the quality and like five years out of style to boot, so, y'know, good luck with that.

I love this store and the people that work there. I order shoes on-line and called them with questions to get the best fit and brand. They fit prefect! No problems anytime I have order from them on-line. So many beautiful shoes! My teenage daughter loves this store and Scott helped her find a beautiful pair of heels she could walk in easily.he gave a great deal on three great shoes that are high quality. If I lived in Chicago I would stop by more often, in the evening since he offers you a glass of wine on occasion. I have been introduced to some of my favorite brands here. Thanks Scott!

Love City Soles! Great hip styles. Good customer service. There's always something that I can't live without!

Love this shop! I can't ever seem to leave with just one pair...‍...the shoes are like none you'll find anywhere else and the service...who doesn't love to try some shoes with a glass of wine in hand while having an excellent conversation?! I've never been a big shoe girl but city soles has most definitely converted me.

Loved this shop and their passion for excellent shoes, but the online store let me down twice. First, my online purchase received quick note from Scott alerting me the shoes were out of stock and unavailable. I was disappointed but the bad news and promise of a refund arrived quickly. However, the refund promised has yet to be issued, outreach to the store remains unanswered and I'm out $200 without receiving any merchandise! Now I'm disputing the charge with my credit card company. Too bad. I expected better. Online shoppers beware.

I love this store, I live in Seattle and always stop in and purchase several things when I'm in town. I ordered several things in November, when items were 20 % off. They charged my debit card $2132, which was the full price of the items. Then, when I returned some of the items, they did not give me my refund. I have had several conversations with the owner over the past two months, assuring me that my refund of $1580 is coming, but I haven't received any refund yet.

Walking into the new location can feel quite intimidating for the average shopper, as this place looks like a boutique you'd find on Rodeo Drive. But there's definitely something for everyone here, regardless of what price point you are in! I used to be like everyone else - under the assumption that no one pays attention to your shoes. I used to think Aldo was high end and that Toms were socially acceptable. But as I left my naive teen years behind, I started to understand the importance of things like "shop local" and "artisan craftsmanship" and what it means to be a part of the greater entrepreneurial good. Bottom line is, you get what you pay for. People can justify spending hundreds of dollars on steak and liquor, but gasp at the idea of spending money on a true and tangible investment of the fashion sort? The result? Wrinkles, wide hips and ratty footwear! City Soles is in the business of supporting artists from all around the world who handcraft everything from shoes and bags, to jewelry - even a shark skin boot from Mexico! Buying from a chain sourcing products out of the third world just can't be a thing for my hard earned dollars anymore. Ever. They have layaway too, so there's no excuse. The staff is so sweet and knowledgeable and not stuck up at all! Surprising considering you can spend a small fortune in there if you have the money. Think "Edgy younger sister of Michigan Ave that doesn't turn her nose up at everyone!" Also gotta mention the free free free wine and espresso!

Excellent shoe selection. Scott is extremely helpful and knowledgeable when it comes to quality footwear that is also unique and guaranteed to get you compliments (literally). I've gotten several pairs of shoes from City Soles, and while some of the price points are very expensive, the shoes themselves are top of the line and will last you forever. I've had to get a few pairs resoled, but that's about it. New location is beautiful. Love this place!

If I could give this place 0 stars, I would! I ordered shoes online three weeks ago and I have yet to receive them. I have called and emailed several times asking about the order and no one has called me back. They should be ashamed for taking money from hard working people!

I recently purchased a pair of shoes from City Soles for my boyfriend as a birthday present. They are hand crafted in San Fransisco and absolutely beautiful! Whenever we shop at City Soles, Scott, who is the owner always takes care of us and treats us like royalty. I have purchased a couple pairs of Seavees from him in the past and they are super comfortable AND stylish. I enjoy supporting local businesses and City Soles has been in Wicker Park for over 20 years. Scott has a unique selection of European, Domestic and Local shoe designers.

this review is long overdue, but all you need to know is there is a lot of shoe love here! the selection is badass & your feet will thank you. get the fancy shoes, you wont regret it. forget nerd-strom rack, shop local.

Ordered shoes online using PayPal for payment. Shipment arrived with wrong shoe. Not even close. Sent it back and confirmed the return was received. After 2 weeks had not received the right shoe or a refund. We called the store and were told that they did not know how to do a refund via PayPal and that the owner had to issue a check. 10 days later a check arrived. The check bounced. After doing additional research I discovered that City Soles was evicted from their store during this time but was to continue their business online. If this is true buyer beware.

Don't order on line. They took our money and gave us the wrong shoes. Sent them back and they sent a check and it BOUNCED (what kind of business writes a bum check?). I am now out shoe money and returned check fund.