In my shul, we remove by the seats. The only time I leave my shoes in the lobby is when I have to leave ASAP. Also they are neatly put next to or under a table or chair.
BTW, those of us who do Birkat Kohanim often get slip-on shoes. Or we just aren’t so careful with tying laces. I have gone hours without tying my shoes, including going to work with them untied. If you see a frum person in E”Y with untied laces, he is possibly a Kohein.