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Categories: Shoe Stores, Children's Clothing [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Edgewater, AndersonvilleMon-Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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So if you buy some shoes there's free parking across the street. Anyone else just have a tiny orgasm? No?
Once, when I went here the guy actually put the shoes on my feet. Literally knelt down and slid them on with great care (and absolutely no creepy-guy-who-just-likes-to-touch-feet vibes). What service! I had questions about Danskos for work and he answered all of them and even gave me suggestions for other similar shoes to try.
As a girl who owns about 8 pairs of shoes, I am by no means an authority on this subject... but I can tell you that this is my favorite shoe store in the city.
Alamo is definitely worth forgoing my old staple, DSW, if for no other reason than giant towers of shoe boxes won't fall on you while you're carrying around an enormous complimentary DSW duffel bag and trying not to trip over the woman kneeling down to tie her sneaker.
That's never happened to me.
My friend Kimmie was sporting these awesome shoes....you know, the ones with a slight platform that that are in style now. I was curious to find out where she found such cuteness. Turns out they were from Alamo Shoes.
Kimmie took me for my very own shoe store orientation there. It was not purely an act of friendship. Nope; she had an agenda. Her agenda was to buy a similar pair to her cool new kicks. That's okay. It doesn't have to be about me all the time.
We parked in front of the store with pay parking. As we approached, I was surprised where she was leading me. I'd expected a posh "shoe boutique", and our destination looked like it was an oldtime shoe store that you'd see in a very small town; and that it would be full of old lady shoes.
Kimmie didn't steer me wrong. They had the cutest selection of shoes and boots; and such a variety! This was one of the best selections of snow and waterproof boots that I've seen in the city. What I liked was that the shoes were cute, yet practical. This isn't a place where you're going to find steel stilletos or designer doodads. These are shoes that are comfortable, functional, and adorable.
Some of the brands they carry are not what I usually wear, like Clark's, Dansko, and Born. I must say though, I never knew these brands made cute styles- until I saw such a wide selection of them.
I asked the salesman to pull 6 pairs of shoes for me. Two were sold out in my size (sadness). Kimmie was a trooper though, and gave her honest opinion. We both loved the Born Rascal boots for me in Grey. They had a casual, cool, and collected vibe, with a rockin cowboy boot heel. I bought em. Yay! It was a tough decision though, considering that 3 pairs made the short list.
The salesmen were abundant, but I think my neediness and the fact that I had shoes strewn all about, made him a bit annoyed. The store carried shoes for both ladies and men. For the ladies, they also had purses and different styles of tights. Mirror space in this place was a bit lacking. In the purse area there's a small mirror on the wall. The only full length mirror available is located in the men's section. As far as prices go, they have some reasonable and some pricey shoes. They also have a sale rack, but that was much less inspiring.
Tis the season that we anticipate our first snowfall of the year. I'll be heading to Alamo Shoes to check out their extensive selection of winter boots.
I was floored that when I bought a discontinued pair of boots which had been heavily discounted, the lady behind the counter said to me: "oh, I remember you. You were in here with your high school age daughter a while back. You looked at those boots then, and I heard you tell your daughter you'd be back for them one of these days."
Well, apparently she was right. I read my last review of this place, my high school age daughter was with me, and it's from damn near a year ago!!
Now THAT is excellent customer relations.
Five stars for selection and customer service.
In another life I was a shoe whore. Now I am a shoe…
Read more »
Great selection of Dansko, Keen and other "comfort" brands. A few years back when I was in a period of fpracticality, I bought a pair of Dansko clogs here. They were amazingly comfortable.
The sales people here are very helpful. I gave away my Danskos to the Salvation Army though because I am too vain to sacrifice looking good for happy feet. Why can't we be pretty and comfortable?
I actually think that this might be a better place for men to find shoes suitable for work. I did pop back in here looking for good flip flops too. Still, I give it a good rating for what it is .....just not my style is all.
ALAMO YOU HAVE UGLY SHOES!!!
I've lived in Andersonville for a few years and I've walked by Alamo shoes
On several occasions. After doing some research on some of their shoes, last year I bought two pairs of MBT'S. I easily dropped 500.00. These shoes do every thing they claim to do BUT these shoes couldn't uglier. After looking at the websites for shoes I've been interested in I would go to Alamo to see if I could purchase them there...no such luck. It's as if the buyer for the store went out of their way to find the most unappealing
Shoes out of any of the collections. I have seen on websites that shoes that benefit the
Foot as well as the body may never be high fashion but they certainly don't have to be as ugly as the ones that Alamo carries.
The store unto itself is a wonderful store the selection that they carry is extensive.
As far as the sales associates there are only two that I would go too that would be
Bruce and another gentleman Eddie, neither of them ever give the "hard sell", both are
Very knowledgeable of every collection.
Try to avoid the store on a Saturday, it's crazed with customers, also, I assume he is the owner there's a man at the counter who has a tendency to scream (maybe he feels
This is his version of customer service, it's very off putting)
I'd like to keep my money in the community, but for what shoes cost these days it looks like I'll be purchasing my shoes from zappos.
Your lost Alamo.
I really really really want to love this place - it is in my neighborhood, it seems like a throw back to old style shoe shopping and they have great shoes. Great. BUT, service is everything. They have the pair of black boots that I want and I've been in there three times and not been able to try them on once either because I can't identify who is a salesperson and who is a customer or because the salesperson I had to flag down and ask to help me (no offer of help after being there over 30 minutes each time) forgot my shoes and never brought them. I give them a 4 for shoes and a 0 for service. Sad because I really want to love them and go back to support local business but instead I'll go to Nordstrom and pay more so that someone will actually wait on me.
Step back in to 1975 with shoe salesmen who receive commission on shoes that look like they should be worn by the most unfashionable of Midwestern mamas. Sorry, this is one step above Crocs for me. And we all know that Crocs are unforgivable.
You guys, I love shoes! I wanted to love this place soooo bad. But alas.
Okay, I can update my Alamo review with a Fit Flop review.
So, I got a pair of these new Fit Flops 'cos they're supposed to tone your butt and legs while you walk. And walk I do, all the time. I'm figuring I might as well get some extra butt benefit out of it.
Now I'm sort of angsting about them maybe being the New Crocs? But no, they are sportif, not ugly. I opted for the red FFs, to match my (usually) classic red pedicure. And yeah, they're flip flops, sorta, but I think they are substantial enough to wear outside, actually in public.
The guy at Alamo was really helpful. Usually I eschew the onslaught of the commission-earning shoe sales guys at this place, but this guy was great. Made sure I got the right size, and told me anecdotes about his daughter and how much she loved her FFs. Okay, sold!
It's gonna be a great summer for my butt.
A bit pricey, but all their shoes are well made, and they have a lot of unusual European styles.… Read more »
This is the best shoe shopping experience I've had in a long time. Not only was the charming salesperson extremely helpful, but when I asked him to just bring me shoes (based on a few requirements) he found me lovely shoes to try on.
It was so busy because of the sidewalk sale but he was very attentive to my needs. I don't have the easiest feet to find shoes for and I walked away with two wonderful pairs. They were even less expensive than Zappos! Plus I felt good to buy local and have some of the money go towards the salesperson's commission.
I will be back for shoes/boots in the fall. Thank you!
It's a treat being an East Lakeview tourist in Andersonville for a Sunday afternoon. Lots of quaint shops and tons of people walking their dogs.
Alas, my trip to Alamo Shoes with a bona fide A-ville resident was underwhelming. I just didn't like the vibe: the store was crowded and the merchandise definitely leaned toward women--as it usually is with most shoe stores--with paltry sale prices for the few men's styles I liked. $10 off a $100 New Balance shoe isn't a sale in my book. Now $40 off, and you'd have a sale. I wanted to like this store, but the recession-minded brain kept saying "Zappos...forget this and go back to Zappos..."
Not a great selection of men's socks either unless you're shopping for a banker or your grandfather--lots of Gold Toe brands but no funky styles and fun colors.
A-ville manages to keep low priced, big box chains out of the neighborhood. I'm not so sure this is good. I'm all for locally-owned and managed shops, but there's something positive about DSW or online shoe shopping sites.
And...one more thing: listen, Alamo people, if you are going to have a TV on with a jerry-rigged wires and coat hanger antennae, don't clamp the damn hot mess to one of the fire sprinklers with a clip and some duct tape. Come on for Pete's sake--take pride in your store's appearance, if not safety.
Doesn't everyone have a shoe store from their childhood that Alamo Shoes reminds them of?
When I need new shoes, Alamo is probably in my top 3 for places I tend to go. I always get the same salesman but he knows what he's talking about and isn't that pushy. They have a decent selection of comfortable shoes that are high(er) quality. They carry some Frye boots, as well as Merrill and Earth shoes.
When you checkout they give you a token to get out of their parking lot, which is across the street. Have fun getting a token if you don't buy anything.
The shoe sale going on right now is a HUGE RIP-OFF.
I've been going here for years, and have always enjoyed the good customer service. I've purchased a lot of shoes here.
But today, I found a nice pair of sandals on the sale rack, and had a pleasant chat with a salesman, who told me how well the Clarks were constructed and what a good deal they were at the price. He actually advised me to get these rather than another pair I also was considering. I was sold -- I fully intended to buy them, and started heading inside the store.
But then another salesman came and took them out of my hand! He said the pair was mistakenly placed on the sale rack. I told him I intended to buy them, and asked him to honor the advertised price, but he refused.
While he said he didn't want to lose a customer over this, he literally took the shoes away.
I won't be going back. There are plenty of other shoe shops looking for business in this weak economy who will stand by their pricing.
As a male, I suffer the world of fashion in the sense that selection for the most part is basic...black, white, and brown....in leather or canvas. So that means that shoes are pretty easy to pick but what I look for is a good selection and reasonable pricing. Alamo Shoes is just that type of store.
They even have good sales every month on certain shoes. One can find relatively trendy shoes for men here as well as some good standards too.
I great little small neighborhood shoe store in Andersonville. If you are every up that way check them out.
Alamo Shoes was the eBay seller of my super affordable rain boots. Instead of paying for shipping, I decided to pick them up at their store. (I had to pay a sales tax, but it cost less than the shipping charges.)
I knew Alamo Shoes sold winter boots after seeing their advertisements in the Tribune. My husband also needed a pair of winter boots, but had been reluctant to buy them. He used the "I'm from Pennsylvania and never wore boots during the winter" excuse. He didn't want to pay much for shoes that he wouldn't wear often. I had him accompany me to Alamo Shoes just to browse. Immediately we found a pair of basic, but warm boots by Totes for $29.99. You can't beat that!
For a small neighborhood shoe store, Alamo Shoes' selection is good. However, if you are looking for trendier shoes, then I recommend taking a trip to Old Orchard or downtown. The sales associates can be aggressive here, but it's bearable. Stick to your "shoe objective" and you should be fine.
While the selection here is still not that great (though they do have a lot of Tsubos) and prices are a bit higher than I would like, I was able to find some nice shoes on sale recently. Luckily, they actually had some left in my size!
The salesman was also fairly helpful, though clearly keen on making a sale. The shoes he suggested at first were very nice, but in a color I couldn't see myself wearing regularly. And of course they were out of colors I would prefer. In the end I left with a pair of shoes I had found at the outset.
But it was enough that I would consider going back at some point with the goal of purchasing shoes here.
I've tried to buy shoes here a few times, without success. The sales staff tries to help, not too… Read more »
I went to Alamo yesterday for the first time and I am already plotting my return.
I *hate* buying shoes. Seriously. I have a pair or two of slip on vans, a pair of obligatory black heals from a few years ago, some flip-flops, gym shoes, and a pair of uggs. and thats it. I don't do shoes. I hate shopping for shoes. I hate trying them on. I hate buying them.
But, yesterday -- after sloshing through puddles and completely soaking my uggs -- my mother brought me to Alamo for a pair of boots. Water-proof boots. I liked the store the second I walked in. They have a HUGE selection of cold weather shoes. And they are *serious* boots too. Maybe some "fashion" boots, but mainly just rows and rows of serious hardy mountain woman boots. I found an awesome paire of Northface boots that basically made me feel like I could go anywhere I wanted and not worry about snow, slush, cold, rain, rocks, road kill, whatever.
(I paid 100 bucks for the boots. A lot of the reviews have mentioned that the shoes are expensive. Judge for your self. Personally, I don't think 100 dollars is expensive for a pair of really high quality winter boots that will keep you safe and warm all winter)
Just leave it to my mother to find me a great shoe store with "sensible" shoes :)
A shoe place that has some major sales going on - I saw some Crocs and Birks $10 off from their original price as well as 10% off of their Reefs and such. A good selection, even for men. Kind of cramped and in disarray, but a good place to check out to get some shoes. The sales associates are quite helpful and friendly. A solid place to check out if you're in the neighborhood.
Alamo Shoes reminds me of The Walking, but run by old shoe salesmen. I get flash backs of Love and Marraige circa 1994 and think about Al when I see these Alamo employees.
The thing is, they have a fabulous selection of super comf shoes, like Eccos, Merels, Uggs, Earth, Privo and the like, so you would think that the staff would be a little more hip. Not the case. Its actually sort of weird. Thier prices are comparable to that of The Walking and if I'm going to be dropping a min of 100 bucks for some kicks, I'll take the service at The Walking over Alamo any day.
The shoes are awesome and I love the Andersonville location, but thats it. If you are a minimalist shopper and don't take into account your experience, then head over the Alamo.
In my quest for winter boots, I swung into Alamo last night. Many, many choices from brands like Born, La Canadienne, Ugg, Merrell, etc. (none coming cheap, though they were offering Uggs tax-free, but since I hate Uggs that didn't help me). Very cool stuff, but I was looking for more function and less fashion, and suede and cordoruy down to the sole will not last in a Chicago winter, I don't care how you treat it.
The salesman who assisteded me was younger and mentioned he was from the Phillipines, but I didn't catch his name; he chatted about what we were doing that evening, and made some recommendations about size etc., which was helpful.
The other salesmen I saw around the store were older and seemed to be sort of stalking around; one closed in me in a rather predatory way when I was checking out a table of boots -- it just gave a "creepy old guy at the end of the bar" vibe, rather than an open, "I'm here to help you" feeling.
Overall, the stock here seems good, though costly; service decent with a chance of creepy.
Perk: Alamo does have a parking lot across the street!
I went to Alamo for the selection. I went in, a salesman asked what I was looking for and in less than 15 minutes I walked out happy to have a warm pair of boots. I've been shopping for boots for 2 weeks and Alamo has had the best selection by far.
Free parking is another plus.
I'll defiantly come back again.
Wow! My experience was so different from the negative ones here. On my way home, all I could like about was how much I love this place.
I need a pair of Danskos and a pair of winter boots. Since this is my first pair of both, I figured I should talk to experts.
The atmosphere is old school shoe store. I can't imagine that the place has changed much in 30 years. Mostly older men doing the selling and fitting and it's pretty quiet and by no means fashionable.
My salesman, Steve, gave me the run down on Danskos and how they're a little different than other shoes and what I should look for and how they should feel. Tried on three pairs and found the perfect fit. Sold.
Next, the boots, I explained I wasn't really looking for fashion, just warmth and dryness and I was willing to invest in a good boot. I also mentioned that I'm a fan of Keen shoes. He brought me several pairs of boots, including Keens. I decided on a great pair of Keens that are really comfy. Sold again.
Overall, pretty low pressure, lots of assortment if you you're looking for investment shoes that are all about function and comfort. The parking lot is great and the staff was very helpful.
Great shoes, Good prices, OK sales staff. I tend to end up at this store 20 to 30 minutes before they close and can never get someone to help me. I've tried to get help here and then i tell them my price range and they bring me everything they have 50 to $60 more than what i tell them I have. They have great prices on boots and Crocs. So that usually all I purchase there. So far so good!
Here are stories about shopping at Alamo:
As I browsed, a salesperson asked me if I needed any help. I didn't, and I told him so. I continued looking and found a style I wanted to try on. I looked around for the salesperson who had asked earlier, but he was nowhere to be found. Instead I solicited the help of another employee, who got me the shoe in my size. Meanwhile, the first salesperson appeared from wherever he'd run off to just to holler at me that HE was the one helping me, and that if I needed a size, I should go to HIM! I pointed out that he had disappeared and he shouted that he had gone into the stock room and that I just needed to wait. No, I think I need to shop somewhere else.
Another time I was browsing and wanted to try on a shoe. Two salespeople were on the floor but neither were interested in helping customers. Instead, they were engaged in a loud, annoying, vocal argument about what constitutes good customer service. The irony appeared to have been lost on them, as was my business.
A third time I actually managed to find a salesperson and get him to look for a shoe in my size. I wear a ten or an eleven. I was looking for a black flat. Not finding the shoe I wanted in my size, the salesperson proceeded to bring out the style in a nine, as well as a variety of other shoes - heels in assorted colors - in a ten. I thanked him but said that I haven't worn a nine since elementary school, and that I was looking for a black flat. Wordlessly, he walked away from me, disinterested in helping me find a shoe that I was actually interested in buying.
At that point, I stopped going back.
I have spent hundreds of dollars at Alamo Shoes thru the years as I used to live in the neighborhood and it was convenient. Shit, make that thousands. At over $100 a pop per pair, you could easily drop that over the course of a couple of years.
The place always bugged me. It's dated interior - circa 1959 - is in bad need of updating and it always annoyed me that the salespeople were always MEN. I had one woman wait on me on two separate occasions and then she vanished. The salesMEN are not very friendly - they are simply looking to make their commission - quickly. It is definitely not a welcoming environment - more like a dog-eat-dog atmosphere.
Their "sales" are weak attempts at drawing people in. 5% or 10% off is no big whoop when the shoes cost $140 dollars. $10 off is also no big deal when the sales tax is 11.25%! The markup on shoes is astronomical - if they had better sales, I might frequent the store more.
This place confuses me and yet I keep buying shoes here.
Lets start with the bad part...
The sales guys, and I say guys because they all are, seem kind of aggressive and also a bit desperate at the same time. I sometimes feel like their families won't get to eat if I don't buy shoes...But don't let that scare you off. They are actually pretty knowledgable about the pros and cons of different shoes. But be firm about if you are looking to buy or not.
The good part...
I love their shoes. I use to be an all high heel all the time kind of girl which is now why I have chronic back pain. So I was looking for comfy shoes that could actually help my back and didn't remind me of my grandmother. At Alamo over the last two years they have helped me pick Earth, Dansko and MBT shoes that not only make my back feel better but are also darn cute. My back actually feels a ton better and believe me a big part of it is the shoes.
I try to watch for sales though because the brands can be a bit pricey but its worth it every time. At the end of the day even the sales guys have grown on me.
In case you are not familiar, Alamo has a parking lot across the street that you must use a token (obtained from the store) in order to be able to exit. That's fine with me, hey, parking in A-Ville is in short supply.
But what is NOT COOL is what happened the day I made a specific trip just to visit this store during an advertised sale. I parked in the lot and first made a quick trip into the Einstein Bagels next door for a coffee. I come in to Alamo, spent over 20 minutes looking, but dont see anything I like (note: Alamo's style tends to run along the lines of those earthy-crunchy Dansko & Merrill type shoes - definitely NOT anything chic or dressy). I went up to the counter and asked for a token. The girl flings one at me and then said quite loudly to her co-worker as I am walking away "Well, I am certainly glad at least EINSTEIN got some business today!"
Um, OK then. So from now on you wont be getting any potential business from me then either. I like supporting neighborhood businesses as much as the next guy, but at least hire some salespeople with tact and class. yikes.
i feel compelled to write this update because i wasn't as forthcoming as i should have been in my first review. i actually bought a pair of not-so-terrible-looking shoes here. yes, i bought them because i wanted to save my feet from the type of beating they took over a nyc weekend not too long ago (which resulted in me limping all the way to chinatown to get reflexology), and yes, it took some serious store recon by my less shoe-snobby friend to find a suitable pair. but, it happened. i made the purchase and now own (and wear) a reasonably priced pair of simple black born sandals that did save my feet from the mean streets of san francisco, portland and seattle.
this store is a straight-up throw back to a time when third-world bathrooms were acceptable in the… Read more »
It's rare that I can take Boyfriend shopping without some kind of large stick in hand to force him into shop doors by threat of beating.
I mean, I adore that he kinda looks like Johnny Depp, but sad he insists on dressing like a ragged hobo- which is, come to think of it, a lot like Mr. Depp....
Anyhow, the service here is without compare, as they pried the smelly, dirty, falling apart workboots from boyfriend's feet and got him into a pair of beautiful dark-brown leather Tsubo shoes (complete with nubby acupressure points built into the soles) that can go out anywhere- and genuinely suit his style.
I mean, the newfound style...
Not the one that was held together by duct-tape.
What I mean is: We will be back! Without threat of violence!
Alamo Shoes- We LOVE and NEED you!
Overpriced. Underselected. Pretentious. Crocs make good shoes for puttering around in an herb garden, NOT for walking around in public.
You can find ergonomic earth friendly shoes elsewhere for way less. It's just not necessary to spend $150 on a pair of-what would you call them? they're all so ugly-brown leathery footware.
Sneakers will never go out of style, and for good reason.
after shopping at alamo consistently for about 15 years, five minutes of conversation with the owner, richard, made me regret every penny spent there. although some of the merchandise is "fashionably progressive", the attitude of the man who profits is clearly the opposite. there is no room in andersonville or such narrowness.
take your hard earned $ elsewhere, or vote republican.
Great selection of men's and women's shoes - but be prepared to spend: these are not lame Payless shoes, these are the bigboy manufacturers of the highest quality. Athletic shoe selection, at least in my size (13) was poor the last time I visited. But for casual and dressy, this is the place for shoes. And there is an awesome coffee house next door (can't think of the name right now) with all the great drinks of course, as well as a charming menu and a back room full of imported clothing and trinkets - but I digress...
Alamo Shoes - my new-found and favorite shoe store in Chicago hands down!
This is a great place to buy shoes. Their footwear is of excellent quality, and I love being able to support an independent business like this in my neighborhood. As for all the reviewers who complain about the service, they are not used to this type of business mentality. My family owned a store in the old Maxwell Street area before it was destroyed and taken over by chain stores and restaurants. I understand this type of business model, as "business is business" and that's all. They are solely there to sell you a quality product and don't want to mess around. It is a business, not a recreational place to go spend the afternoon. Consumers are so spoiled by people who woo them in to spend money. If you want to be coddled and caressed, head over to Nordstroms. If you want quality shoes in a no-nonsense fashion, head over to Alamo and don't be so sensitive.
I had been dying for an excuse to splurge on some comfy shoes, and was really excited to try out Alamo Shoes because I've heard their selection is great. After waiting for 10 minutes for some help, a salesman asked me if I needed something and I explained what I was looking for. I asked for a specific type of shoe by Merrill (BAD idea) and the salesman told me "How about you buy something we HAVE, not something we HAD?" and walked away. He didn't even try to see if there was something similar, just left me standing there.
I turned around and walked out. It is not worth my time and money to be treated that way at ANY store. I will not be back.
Its unfortunate that Alamo is either super pushy or completely ignoring you. Ive found that to be true on several occasions, as have others I know. Hi I have money and Im here to buy shoes... why do you ignore me? Ok, then Im not here to buy shoes goodbye. They were a big pain for my SO trying to exchange a gift as well. Yeah, we dont go there anymore.
They have an ebay account where they sell their shoes for much less anyway so why bother with the hassle in the store?
Alamo Shoes is like a throw-back to shoe shopping of yore. When you walk in, depending on the day, you could be accosted by possibly up to 3 salesmen (I've only ever seen sales MEN in there with ties and everything), salivating and aggressively wanting to help you. My guess is they work on commission. The upside of this is that they can be attentive; the downside is that they can be annoying. Again, it depends on who's there.
I happen to be an incredibly low-maintenance shoe shopper. I've been known to buy shoes without trying them on, so the service to me is good but generally unnecessary. I go to Alamo because they carry Dansko's whose fit varies depending on the style, so this is a shoe I do have to try on first. Pretty good selection of shoes we teachers consider comfortable: Dansko, Keen, Crocs (for the love of god...I don't wear these to work), Teva (sandals). Because there are few places I've found that actually stock these, I go to Alamo about twice a year to grab up new pairs.
I have seen Alamo attitude once. My friend (who is incredibly high maintenance shoe shopper) picked out roughly 15 pairs to try on at once (I know...it was crazy). The once salivating, aggressively wolfish salesman who had pounced on us at the door took the sample shoes from her and, instead of heading back to start Le Grande Search, I watched as he literally handed her off to another salesman. We both saw this and thought maybe he was due for lunch or his break or something...nope...he was standing at the door about 5 minutes later waiting for the next dainty Little Red Riding Hood to walk through the doors. Pretty gutsy if you ask me, especially since my friend was pretty clear that she was there to buy a lot of shoes that day.
Anyway, I like the fact that stores like Alamo continue to exist and actually have people devoted to real customer service (as long as it's under 15 pairs of shoes apparently), so I go back. It is pricier than online shoe warehouses but it's the principle of thing, ya know?
I've been in Alamo a number of times and never purchased anything, even the times that I was actually looking to buy something. Their sales staff apparently looks at me and thinks "Not worth it," because while I see other customers mobbed with salesmen, I always have quite the time finding someone to help me.
It only gets points because it smells like the shoe stores of my childhood. Oh, and they have a parking lot across the way.
I feel such mixed emotions about this place. I love them for being a neighborhood store and I love that they have a pretty large selection of good shoes. They are convenient to my house and I like supporting them.
However, their customer service is AWFUL, minus the 1 new guy who is really sweet and upbeat. Our first interaction was with a very, very crabby older gentleman who tried to tell my mom that she just needed to try shoes on (rather than look or ask about narrow sizes). Not like she has been dealing with the problem of narrow feet FOR HER WHOLE life or anything, nor should it matter that she used to sell shoes; he clearly knew best. Whatever.
As soon as the other guy (nice guy noted above) approached us, we jumped at the chance to work with him and it was a great thing to do. He was very nice and he seemed to genuinely enjoy selling shoes.
Even with the nice guy, we still experienced the situation that someone else noted -- they were out of a lot of colors that they displayed. However, I would note that they will order shoes for you, so that shouldn't be a problem. Having said that, though, I will add that we went in yesterday to ask about when some shoes we ordered might come in and we encountered a very b***y woman at the sales counter. Strike two against Alamo.
Given that this place is so hit or miss for customer service, I don't know how much more I'll be going back here (will probably depend on things like how the shoe order is handled). As I said before, I love supporting community stores, but it is not a cheap place, and bad customer service is NOT welcome in my world.
P.S. For those of you who do not know, they do have a whole parking lot across the street that you can use for free, but you have to get a token from them to get out of it.
AVOID THIS STORE AT ALL COSTS!
I went here because I wanted to "support local" and had the worst customer service experience of my life. I bought a pair of (expensive) shoes that I loved, and one of the shoes turned out to have a defect inside that gave me a blister. I brought them back 2 weeks later to exchange them. The defect was visible, and the staff person apologized for the problem and said they were out of stock but she'd order another pair, and then would call when they arrived in a week or so.
When I stopped by 2 weeks later, I was told the shoe had been discontinued (no one notified me). I asked for a refund, and they refused to do anything other than offer me the shoe in another color. I didn't need shoes in the other color. I am a very friendly, civil person, even when frustrated. I calmly explained that all I wanted was this same pair of shoes, without the defect, and that if they were discontinued I should be able to get a refund. Then the manager came out and flat-out DENIED that they had a defect! It was right there in front of him, his employee had seen it immediately, and he's telling me it doesn't exist!
The manager insulted me loudly, yelled at me in the store, and reduced me to tears. I really loved these shoes, so when I left the store and I then called around and found other stores that still had this exact shoe in stock. Then I went back to Alamo, told him other stores had the same shoes in stock, and that I just wanted my money so I could buy them, he refused again.
After I threatened to contact the Better Business Bureau, he actually went to Hanig's Slipper Box (where I'd called) and picked up the shoes for me, rather than just give in and me my money back so I could do it myself!! And of course he made a big huge stink of how he was wasting his lunch hour pleasing an "extremely difficult customer."
I have now had this pair of shoes for 18 months, and without the defect they are the most comfortable pair of shoes I own. I will never go back to Alamo. And as I vented about this experience at work, on craigslist, etc, I started hear A LOT of other horror stories about people's experiences with Alamo shoes. Shop there at your own risk!
Avoid this store at all costs!
I went here because I wanted to "support local" and had the worst…
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Imagine used-car dealership personnel and pricey shoes (for those of us in the Middle Class anyhow) and you have Alamo Shoes. The sales people in there are all about pushing you into trying some shoes and then they don't even carry my size in the shoes I want (come on it's only 13). Moreover, you can't even tell a salesperson from a regular customer. All they would need to do to make things better is get a name tag and have a place where we can find the salesperson when we find something we like.
I went to Alamo today to by rain boots. I bought a pair of ultra-cute red plaid for $35. I had checked at http://payless.com to see what the discount shoe store had, they had one pair for $30, and not in my size. I didn't find the sales staff overly aggressive, but helpful, running downstairs to get my size quickly and efficiently. They were slightly hard to distinguish from the regular customers, though. They might have a lax dress code for weekends, but they kinda blended in. I would recommend solid shirts and ties all the time.
Otherwise, I'm quite happy.
PS: Alamo reminds me of the shoe stores my mother used to take me to as a child, in northern Minnesota. Yet another reason I love Andersonville!
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Shoe Stores
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: Shoe Stores
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: Shoe Stores
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Shoe Stores
Evanston, IL
Category: Shoe Stores
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