Popdiatribe: Have a Nice May

Last weekend this 700-balloon sculpture of a running shoe created by Ryan Oelrich was displayed during the annual Bloomsday race and trade show in Spokane, Washington.

Image from http://downtownspokane.kxly.com/
Image: http://downtownspokane.kxly.com

What about a running sneaker in a toaster oven?

Heating the soles off for inspiration
Heating the soles off for inspiration

Golden Harper, founder of running shoe company Altra, came up with the idea for his specialty line of trainers after doing modifications to existing running shoes. He would heat sneakers in a toaster oven to melt the glues in order to pull the chunky soles off to create minimalist prototypes. These became the precursors to Altra, which employs a thin, flat sole that is equally thick from toe to heel. In 2014, Altras can be found in over 700 running shoe stores nationwide.

Footwear brand Skechers added two-time Olympian distance runner Kara Goucher to their sponsored roster.

Feel free to start a rumor that you are interested in buying Rockport. Rockport’s parent company Adidas, is reportedly looking to sell off the dressy brand that it acquired when it bought Reebok back in ’05.

Danner Boots opened their first store outside their home state of Oregon in Renton, Washington. It will stock a huge collection of Danners, including many models which are made in the USA.

Here at Popdiatry, we advocate seeking out the ultimate in footwear comfort. This often means being cognizant of your foot’s width, which often leads to buying wider footwear. It tickled my pinky toes to learn that there is a mini-chain of shoe shops in Washington state called Wide Shoes Only. Read the article about them here.

Lina Ahn, owner of Wide Shoes Only, poses with a size 18 New Balance. Image from Heraldnet.com
Lina Ahn, owner of Wide Shoes Only, poses with some size 18 New Balances. Image from Heraldnet.com

 

 Go Nets!

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