Fontana's Shoes

We made the trip to Ithaca just to go here and it was TOTALLY WORTH IT! The people working were extremely helpful and knowledgeable. We didn’t feel rushed at all during our time there, they even brought out additional insoles to add to the shoes to adjust the fit of the boots we were trying. And they carry some of my favorite hard-to-find brands in person! We will definitely be coming back here whenever we need to buy shoes again. And to get things resoled!

I went to Fontana's Shoes for the first time today. My wife and I drove from Syracuse, about an hour and 15 minutes drive. Totally worth it. I wanted to try on a pair of Lems. A very friendly and knowledgeable sales associate greeted me. We will be going back for more shoes in the future. Highly recommend!

The service was exceptionally kind and attentive. The salesperson really cared about making sure I was comfortable. I first bought a pair of Dansko shoes, but after a day I realized they weren’t the right fit for me. They happily and patiently helped me exchange them until I found a pair that truly felt comfortable. Highly recommended!

We visited Ithaca for our vacation when my husband’s shoes were very worn out and got soaked after hiking. We were looking for new shoes ASAP and ran into this store after lunch. They have a lot of selections for hiking and heavy duty shoes with good price. We ended up getting two pairs. The lady who was helping us and the other customer at the same time was extremely nice and efficient!

Brands you won't find in a big box store or the mall. I drove an hour and 40 minutes to get here. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly. Well worth the trip.

Having fallen in love with Ithaca during our son's college years we make it a point to visit at least once a year. We term it our pilgrimage. I walk at least four miles per day which necessitates an annual purchase of running/walking sneakers. Fontana's is well worth the 2 hour drive from Rochester. I purchased my 6th pair yesterday. I'm sorry I didn't make a note to catch the name of our salesperson. Every year I've worked with a different one and each has been very friendly, very knowledgeable and very patient. After presenting five pairs and enduring my indecisiveness I jokingly asked if I was her biggest P.I.A. customer. In addition, there is never an attempt to upsell. In closing, I must note that my wife absolutely loves the Baggallini she bought on impulse last year......So break the chains folks and support local small business!

Never have I had a place that was able to go out of their way to help me as a new boot buyer. Owner was very hospitable despite my nervousness. Thank you so much

They promote their ability to restore and repair footwear, but their friendly staff not only knew nothing about it, but rely entirely on a third party for those services, which were apparently limited to little more than polishing shoes. A complete waste of timw

Rude, snobby staff. My wife was returning in-soles that didn't work, for store credit. Clerk attempted to lie to her and say there was a 2 week return policy, even though the receipt did not indicate that. She said things like "You just couldn't find the time to get here sooner?". She eventually said shed would "make an exception". The woman we talked to when buying them was super nice and helpful. Maybe it was the person that happened to be there or maybe they are only nice when taking your money.

I came here to buy running shoes, and the woman working was very helpful and friendly. They had several great options, and the woman was very knowledgeable and helpful when I was making my decision. Would definitely recommend this place!

Sort of okay... It's expensive so I'm not really a fan. I'd rather order something online for cheaper (at equal quality). However, when they have their sidewalk sales, you can sometimes find some good deals.

They have a decent selection of shoes, nothing too impressive. Never really seen a pair of shoes I've wanted to buy here, especially given their prices. However, they do have a lot of Ithaca-appropriate footwear for walking/hiking and trudging in the snow. Worth it if you can't make your way to closer shoe stores in Ithaca.

I've been here several times to have shoes shined and repaired. Very nice staff, always finish items on time, and knowledgeable.

The owner stayed 10 minutes over closing time to make sure we got our shoes! Such a nice guy and truly cares about his business!

Worst shoe repair experience I have ever had. Had my shoe re-soled then the sole peeled off after a day of use, had it re-done then the heel portion of the sole peeled off after a few days, then after bringing it in for the third time, the whole heel broke off. If you need a good quality shoe repair this is definitely not it and you will probably leave with a worse problem than you came in with. In response to the response below. The fact that the sole put on my shoe peeled off- not once but twice - should tell any person that the cobbler obviously is not very skilled at re-soling and/or did not have the proper tools to do a good job. The final falling off of my heel was on the specific portion of the shoe that had been worked on last. What are the chances that the specific portion of the shoe that was worked on fell off- and no other part fell off- but somehow it has nothing to do with the fact that it was worked on? Or how it was worked on? The prior times the soles fell off already tell me that my shoes were not being handled correctly. All I can vouch for is the fact that my boots were sturdy and had only been used for a year. This was the first time they had been re-soled, but after bringing them to this business it is now broken and I'm waiting for a chance to take them to NYC and have it put back together.

Best shoe store in Ithaca. Friendly staff and family run. They always have an amazing selection for any occasion.

As someone who worked in the footwear industry for over a decade, I have gotten used to lowering my expectations regarding quality service. However, Fontana's provides not only a good selection of products, but also offers excellent service. The sales staff worked hard to ensure they were meeting our needs by checking the fit, offering style alternatives and knowledgeable info on each model, and grabbing style after style and size after size, all while displaying a happy-to-help attitude without any pressure to buy. They even stretched out a tight spot on a pair of boots my wife got to improve the fit! Their friendly, knowledgeable service made all the difference. This is a good example of a local business providing a great service to the community. Thanks Fontana's!

My wife has wanted to buy Dansko for like 4 years. We looked online, but Fontanas was having a sale and cheaper then online. Bought a pair $103 (online $120) and was happy. Till 4 hours later when the color of the leather in the toes rubbed off with just normal use. Brought them back and the dansko rep was there and seemed appalled that this happened. Her and Fontanas immediately ordered a replacement and actually shipped it right to our house! Very good customer service.

When the zipper on my bookbag got busted, Fontana's was the closest repair shop that got it fixed. Now my bookbag has a better zipper that glides more smoothly than the original one, and I know where I want to buy new shoes. They stock up on some really decent shoes with awesome prices. The service could be a little more friendly, but it's nothing serious. Overall, they get the job done and they know what they're doing.

Fontana's: kind of expensive, totally worth it. They stock lots of comfortable, fashionable shoes with a focus on quality. I bought a pair of Merrell winter boots here and couldn't be happier. It's an old Ithaca business with staff who know their stuff -- if you're looking for a great shoe that will get you through snow, hills, and gorges, or if you want a pair of heels that won't kill your feet, go to Fontana's and find your match!

Do not use Fontana's shoe repair service. They charge an arm and a leg and then do shoddy work. They 'fixed' a pair of flats with broken heels for me by bending and ruining the entire sole. A lost pair of shoes and $20. Cobbler's Cottage is much better.

my shoes are great but were a bit overpriced :(

Great shoe store with very nice quality shoes. It's not a bargain hunter's place so if you want "cheap" shoes, I wouldn't recommend it but I will say that the shoes are a good value compared to something you'd typically find in a department store. Anything I've bought there has held up well. They have a wide range of styles from more utilitarian to more dressy. They always have an especially great selection of boots in the fall and sandals in the spring. We are lucky to have a store like this in Ithaca! Very helpful staff.

My review could easily have gone in the opposite direction if it weren't for their outstanding customer service. I brought in a pair of 1 year old Melissa Button Frye boots to get some salt stains cleaned up and have them re-soled, talked to a staff member about exactly what I wanted and felt good about leaving them in their hands. That weekend I received a call from the cobbler (who they outsource to) who explained to me that he had repaired my boots but wanted to give me a heads up that he had put on a thick, chunky vibram sole but he was sure I would be happy with it (based on what I don't know). I knew right away that I would not because I wanted to maintain the elegant profile of the boots. Indeed when I picked them up they had soles like Timberland boots which entirely ruined the look of them - though Fontana's did an AMAZING job of getting rid of the salt stains. When I went back to talk to the same staff member I originally spoke with she completely understood that this was an unacceptable mistake and guaranteed that they would be redone exactly as I wanted them in the first place at no additional charge. Ultimately I got exactly what I wanted. Even though there was a bit of a headache I blame the cobbler not Fontana's. He should not assume he knows what clients want and just accept the order as is. Fontana's really handled the problem as gracefully as possible. Also FYI boot cleaning and weather treating is only $10 - an excellent deal!.

I visited Fontana's for the first time yesterday and the experience was great. I was specifically looking for comfortable walking shoes for an upcoming trip to Italy and I have CHALLENGING feet. Comfort and quality were the most important things for me, and so I was not surprised by the prices (were consistent with what I had found online). But what I was not expecting and was pleasantly surprised by was the SERVICE. My salesperson, Haley, was very patient with me and and SO knowledgeable about the various brands and styles. She helped me find 2 pairs of shoes that I believe will be perfect for the trip. And, if they need any tweaks (for my bunions and toes), they have the capability of doing that to make them personalized for my unique needs. Thanks so much, Fontana's! You've got a new customer for life!

Not too happy with customer service. Purchased a pair of OOfo's and ordered and paid for a pair of Teva's today. I have shopped at this store off and on for years...spent LOTS of money. So, I asked about the OOfo slides, and they had some coming in soon and said they would call me. When I got home there was a call that the one pair in my size had just come in. I called them right back and asked if I could come and try them on when I would be in town on Monday morning (it is Thursday). I don't live in Ithaca. Well, they said NO, because they will only hold shoes for 2 days without a deposit. I didn't want to buy them because I wanted to try them on, but after a short discussion I was told no exceptions to the two day rule. I hung up, AMAZED!! What I thought of as a classy, awesome store just changed to a place I won't be going to again. They lost a very good customer over a few hours difference in time.