Sneaker rescue, leather repair and bringing beloved old kicks back to life—that's the mission at The ... [+] Cobblers.

They are the nicest dress boots I’ve ever owned but they looked like I’d run a couple marathons in them. The soles had bald patches, one heel was slightly askew and the leather stitching at the ankle was coming undone.

I knew I needed to get the boots repaired but I didn’t trust the local shoe guy to do the detailed work these babies required. That’s why I was thrilled to hear about The Cobblers, an online service that offers old-world shoe craftsmanship by mail. The Miami-based company has a team of master artisans with credits from brands like Christian Louboutin and Bruno Magli. The Cobblers clean, repair, restore and customize sneakers and high-quality men’s and women’s shoes, handbags, and assorted leather garments. I took a deep breath and began the process of getting my boots revamped.

The website makes it easy. Choose your type of shoe, the service you’re looking for (repair, cleaning, protect, etc.) and then go micro on your service request, down to whether you’d like replacement eyelets or custom crystals added to your new metal toe cap.

I only needed new heels and soles and some restitching done on the back of one boot. They ask for photos of the shoes to be uploaded and then The Cobblers ships out a box and jiffy bag so you can send in your shoes. All this took about a week and the company was great about regular updates, including “before” photos of the shoes as the work began.

Here’s that sad sole of mine upon arrival:

My scuffed-up boots upon arrival at The Cobblers.

Ten days later, after much fanfare on the tracking app about a pending delivery, my shoes arrived in a gorgeous box with a black ribbon. The shoes were wrapped in black paper and each had a plastic insert to maintain their optimum shape during shipment. It felt like Shoe Year’s Eve.

The shoes arrived in gorgeous packaging, with a wax-stamped letter that made it feel like shoe ... [+] heaven around here.

I couldn’t wait to see what The Cobblers did, though I was slightly nervous that the repair would compromise the integrity of the originals. Would my new soles have any soul?

Like a present to yourself. Shoe restoration by mail from The Cobblers.

I shouldn’t have worried. The shoes looked amazing and the new heels and soles had a sophistication and style that made my nearly ten-year-old shoes feel like a new pair. The company uses Joh. Rendenbach oak-bark tanned soles, among the finest leathers in the business. The stitching, the sheen, the patina and iconic JR logo-stamping all added elegance and matched the original shoe vibe I loved so much. The boots even smelled delicious.

New soles that are brimming with soul.

Here’s a before and after.

New life for a beloved old pair of boots.

Impressive, right? What’s nice, too, is that you keep the shoes in circulation. As they say at The Cobblers, “We save your shoes from their tragic death,” and that helps you avoid further clogging up landfills.

This might sound weird but it was actually quite emotional putting them on. I thought I was done with these old beauties and here I was, walking with new spring in my step. Now for my next step? Walking into my closet to see which old sneakers and dress shoes need a refresh. I think I’m hooked on The Cobblers.