Brother Vellies on Postcard

"COVID-19 update: Open for browsing and curbside pickup. We have long been obsessed with Brooklynite Aurora James’s personal style. While traveling around Nigeria, South Africa, and Morocco, James fell in love with the traditional shoes and sandals handmade by local artisans. Then when she was back home in Brooklyn, Brother Vellies was born (“Vellie” is local speak for veldskoene, South African leather walking shoes). Stepping across the threshold is like walking into another world: There are plants and greenery everywhere, speckled with insanely cool merch. Mexican huarache sandals, feathered pumps, Kenyan-made slides, and butter-soft knee-high boots mingle with embossed leather handbags and woven clutches. Each piece is crafted by artisans from across the globe. In a continued effort to both assemble a treasure trove of gorgeous things and support unique makers, James has introduced a new “something special” vertical on the Brother Vellies site. Expect Oaxacan mugs, the coziest ruffled socks, and…well, see for yourself. COVID-19 disclaimer: We are working hard to keep our listings as up to date as possible (deliveries, outdoor dining, etc.), but given the evolving nature of local COVID-19 restrictions, we recommend double-checking the information in this guide with any business you plan on visiting. Also, please note that we have not vetted any businesses listed within our guides for their compliance with applicable safety regulations."

The Brooklyn Guide

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Natalie Harrison

Google

Quite frankly the worst customer service I have ever experienced. I’ve purchased multiple pairs of shoes from them. A couple have been completely off in sizing but generally happy. This time I pre-ordered boots. They never came in the time frame they had mentioned. Emailed them once - no response. Had to email them 7 times to get a response. They said “oh sorry they didn’t get made in the first pre-order they will come in another month”. I said I’d rather just cancel my order. No response. And still no response to this day. Also was part of the something special - multiple months that didn’t get sent. No accountability. I love the brand but not the experience I’ve had.

Shanna Chappell

Google

Update to review below: I’m grateful for the store director owning their mistake. She exchanged for the correct item without hesitation. Together we were able to get it back to me expeditiously. I’m happy now, lol. Products may be on point, but the customer service is not. Communication is nonexistent. No one is monitoring their inbox, and I was sent the wrong exchanged item. Long story short, do not shop here if you are unsure of your size. The cat and mouse game is a mess. I had to call every day to follow up on my exchange request, and now I’ll have to repeat that process because of their error. Very frustrating.

TM El Hage

Google

The WORST customer service I have ever experienced! DO NOT BUY from this store. I ordered boots online that have a horrible fit. The shaft was extremely narrow and the foot area runs large. Customer service rejected my return after I paid hundreds of dollars to send it back Internationally. They agreed to accept it past the 14 days knowing I live in Dubai. I’ve tried to reach out several times and my emails have been IGNORED and no one picks up the phone when you call. I’ve asked them to pay the duties and deduct it from what they OWE me- Ignored. I? The customer is loosing the most here regardless. They refuse to even give me a partial refund. If there was an option to choose NO STAR, I would do it. At this point they don’t deserve any stars. I sent the owner a message on IG, that was ignored as well. How can you claim to support the community while treating your customers horribly?? Instead of gaining a loyal customer and resolving the problem they would rather loose one and more in the future.

rachel dada

Google

I cannot comment on what the experience is like in store, but if you are an online shopper I would absolutely stay away. I ordered a pair of shoes one month ago. The next week, I was sent the wrong pair. When I contacted customer service, it took them 3 days to send an email with a return label, saying they would send me another pair only after the original pair was returned and processed. I was concerned about how long the process would take, so I asked for a refund instead. Again, days after my email request I got my response: my request was denied, and I was directed to review their return policy. Silly me, I figured a return policy would apply if I got the product I ordered and changed my mind. How tacky to enforce a policy when the mistake was theirs to begin with! A month after ordering the shoes, I've finally received a code to use as merchandise credit. What an awful experience - the first and last time I'll ever order from them again. I miss the days when businesses believed in accountability as a way to build a loyal customer base.

Jameela Ali

Google

I would give zero stars if I could. The worst customer service. I signed up for their Something Special subscription back in February to support small artisans. I have been charged the recurring subscription amount each month and yet I have not received a single item! I have emailed customer service several times, I have called their store back to back during the week and it’s a busy signal. I will be disputing these charges with my bank.

Alexandra Shaughnessy

Google

If it were possible to give 0 stars I would. My husband ordered me a pair of beautiful boots from their website for my birthday months ago and unfortunately they were slightly too big. We returned them and customer service claimed they would process the return and once the smaller size boot was available in stock they would ship it out to us. We have not heard back from anyone about the return or the new order and our credit card shows we still haven't been refunded for the returned boot. We have called and emailed the company with NO response. I am completely digusted. Not to mention the boots were over $1,000. We will be disputing the charge with our credit card company. TERRIBLE customer service.

El Mitch

Google

Wanted to do a major purchase of several expensive pairs of shoes but nobody ever responded to my email, which was me asking a simple question. I’m moving on.

Payton Reed

Google

A beautiful environment. Very friendly and helpful employees. Scenery is great for pictures and the most beautiful shoes I’ve ever seen. I wish I could buy one of every shoe. The aesthetic of the shoes you can’t find anywhere else (trust me I’ve tried). I highly recommend coming in and checking it out. You won’t regret it.

Natalie Harrison

Google

Quite frankly the worst customer service I have ever experienced. I’ve purchased multiple pairs of shoes from them. A couple have been completely off in sizing but generally happy. This time I pre-ordered boots. They never came in the time frame they had mentioned. Emailed them once - no response. Had to email them 7 times to get a response. They said “oh sorry they didn’t get made in the first pre-order they will come in another month”. I said I’d rather just cancel my order. No response. And still no response to this day. Also was part of the something special - multiple months that didn’t get sent. No accountability. I love the brand but not the experience I’ve had.

Shanna Chappell

Google

Update to review below: I’m grateful for the store director owning their mistake. She exchanged for the correct item without hesitation. Together we were able to get it back to me expeditiously. I’m happy now, lol. Products may be on point, but the customer service is not. Communication is nonexistent. No one is monitoring their inbox, and I was sent the wrong exchanged item. Long story short, do not shop here if you are unsure of your size. The cat and mouse game is a mess. I had to call every day to follow up on my exchange request, and now I’ll have to repeat that process because of their error. Very frustrating.

TM El Hage

Google

The WORST customer service I have ever experienced! DO NOT BUY from this store. I ordered boots online that have a horrible fit. The shaft was extremely narrow and the foot area runs large. Customer service rejected my return after I paid hundreds of dollars to send it back Internationally. They agreed to accept it past the 14 days knowing I live in Dubai. I’ve tried to reach out several times and my emails have been IGNORED and no one picks up the phone when you call. I’ve asked them to pay the duties and deduct it from what they OWE me- Ignored. I? The customer is loosing the most here regardless. They refuse to even give me a partial refund. If there was an option to choose NO STAR, I would do it. At this point they don’t deserve any stars. I sent the owner a message on IG, that was ignored as well. How can you claim to support the community while treating your customers horribly?? Instead of gaining a loyal customer and resolving the problem they would rather loose one and more in the future.

rachel dada

Google

I cannot comment on what the experience is like in store, but if you are an online shopper I would absolutely stay away. I ordered a pair of shoes one month ago. The next week, I was sent the wrong pair. When I contacted customer service, it took them 3 days to send an email with a return label, saying they would send me another pair only after the original pair was returned and processed. I was concerned about how long the process would take, so I asked for a refund instead. Again, days after my email request I got my response: my request was denied, and I was directed to review their return policy. Silly me, I figured a return policy would apply if I got the product I ordered and changed my mind. How tacky to enforce a policy when the mistake was theirs to begin with! A month after ordering the shoes, I've finally received a code to use as merchandise credit. What an awful experience - the first and last time I'll ever order from them again. I miss the days when businesses believed in accountability as a way to build a loyal customer base.

Jameela Ali

Google

I would give zero stars if I could. The worst customer service. I signed up for their Something Special subscription back in February to support small artisans. I have been charged the recurring subscription amount each month and yet I have not received a single item! I have emailed customer service several times, I have called their store back to back during the week and it’s a busy signal. I will be disputing these charges with my bank.

Alexandra Shaughnessy

Google

If it were possible to give 0 stars I would. My husband ordered me a pair of beautiful boots from their website for my birthday months ago and unfortunately they were slightly too big. We returned them and customer service claimed they would process the return and once the smaller size boot was available in stock they would ship it out to us. We have not heard back from anyone about the return or the new order and our credit card shows we still haven't been refunded for the returned boot. We have called and emailed the company with NO response. I am completely digusted. Not to mention the boots were over $1,000. We will be disputing the charge with our credit card company. TERRIBLE customer service.

El Mitch

Google

Wanted to do a major purchase of several expensive pairs of shoes but nobody ever responded to my email, which was me asking a simple question. I’m moving on.

Payton Reed

Google

A beautiful environment. Very friendly and helpful employees. Scenery is great for pictures and the most beautiful shoes I’ve ever seen. I wish I could buy one of every shoe. The aesthetic of the shoes you can’t find anywhere else (trust me I’ve tried). I highly recommend coming in and checking it out. You won’t regret it.

Brother Vellies

Brother Vellies

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