Dansko (which is translated as Danish shoe) is one of our customers’ favorite brands. Not only do the shoes look great and come in a wide variety of styles and patterns, but they are known for their “all-day comfort.”

Many Dansko fans work in professions that require long hours on their feet such as chefs, waiters, hair stylists, doctors, nurses, teachers and salespeople. In fact, Dansko currently has 8 collections that carry the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Seal of Acceptance. Dansko is best known for their classic rocker-bottom stapled clog, but they now offer heels, boots, flats and sneakers.

Like many of the brands we choose to carry, Dansko is committed to leaving the world a better place than they found it by protecting the community, promoting philanthropy and minimizing their negative impact on the environment. For example:

• Their Pennsylvania headquarters is one of the most eco-conscious buildings in the country and is Gold LEED certified;
• They pay their employees to volunteer up to 16 hours per year;
• They recycle 86% of their waste;
• They actively support organizations such as Special Olympics, Haitian Relief, Ronald McDonald House, The Land Conservancy… and many more!

When you stop in to shop with us, we encourage you to bring in your gently used shoes to deposit in our Soles4Souls boxes. With your support, we have donated thousands of shoes to people in need through our association with the Soles4Souls Program.

Soles 4 Souls

Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you and distributes these shoes to people in need. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has delivered over 16 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes. The shoes have been distributed to people in over 127 countries, including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States.

Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

Go Green by Donating

Donating shoes through Soles4Souls is also a way to “go green.” Last year alone, Americans discarded more than 300 million pairs of shoes. When these shoes break down in our landfills, the toxic glue that holds the shoes together can leak into our water supply and atmosphere. Reduce the strain on our environment by donating your “gently worn” footwear to people in need instead of throwing them away.

Thanks to the assistance of Atlanta do-gooder Barry Corker, founder of Destiny, we are now able to accept large donations of shoes from your organizations. Make a difference by organizing a shoe drive in conjunction with your school, church, non-profit organization or even your local running group! In partnership with Soles4Souls, some of these shoes will also be distributed locally to organizations such as the Atlanta Union Mission.

When you stop in to shop with us

Lost: 140 pounds

Gained: Impressive 9-pair Collection of Vibram Five Fingers and a Pain-Free Workout!

We have been so inspired by our customer, Ron Skopitz, that we wanted to share his story with all of you. So on those days when you just don’t feel like working out…remember Ron’s story, get your Abbadabba’s on and get out there!

“About 8 years ago, I saw some pictures of myself and decided that I had to make change. Over the next 3 years, I lost about 140 pounds through diet and exercise. Getting the weight off was easy – keeping it off has been the challenge. I was plagued with chronic lower back, knee and foot pain, so I would have to stop exercising and then the weight would start creeping back on.

About a year and a half ago, a co-worker mentioned these funky shoes with toes in them. The engineer in me was intrigued so I looked them up. When I read about the Five Fingers shoes on the Vibram site, I became more and more convinced of the logic involved and decided I had to try a pair. Last October, I walked into Abbadabba’s and tried on a pair of Bikilas – and fell in love. Anna at Abbadabbas was very helpful and informative, and I felt comfortable that if I had problems, Abbadabba’s would work with me to make things right.

I had read on the Vibram site to start slowly. I wore them around the house for a few days, but finally I took the plunge and wore them out on the pavement. I only expected to get a short distance on that first walk, but I felt great and just kept going. I went almost five miles on that first walk! About 3 miles in, a big knot of pain let loose in my back and has stayed gone ever since.

It is so rare that the claims made by a manufacturer prove to be true. But everything – the natural walking position, the strengthening of the the arches and calves, the reduction of the impact to the feet/heels/ankles/knees/hips/back from leveraging the natural shock absorbent action of the foot, the lightness of the shoe reducing stress on the joints, etc. – I’ve experienced all of those things and more. The reduction in pain has been amazing. Wearing my Five Fingers makes me want to walk. In the past year, I haven’t missed a walk due to pain.

Wearing the Bikilas for walking and then changing to traditional shoes the rest of my day just wasn’t going to work for me. I immediately went back and bought 2 pairs of KSO Treks (had to have one in each color) and started wearing them to work. The kangaroo leather worked well with dress slacks and a button down. Wearing them does raise eyebrows, but I don’t care – the benefits to my health and wellbeing more than make up for my coworkers’ ribbing – they’re just jealous anyway!

Seriously, most people are curious but think the VFFs are just too “weird”. I would recommend to anyone to just let go of convention and give them a try. They aren’t for everyone, but you owe it to yourself to try! I did, and I haven’t worn any other shoes since.

It was a sad day recently when, after about 400 miles, I finally wore out those original Bikilas. I recently bought a new pair, and grabbed some of the new styles, too. I was happy to grab a few pairs of the KSO LS, and I’m excited to try the new boots out this winter. I now own 8 pairs of Vibram Five Fingers (9 if you count those original Bikilas – can’t bring myself to throw them out) and I couldn’t be happier!

I love my Five Fingers, and Abbadabba’s is pretty awesome, too!”

This month, Abbadabba’s is partnering with Merrell to help a cause that is very dear to my heart – the fight to end mountaintop removal coal mining.

What is mountaintop removal coal mining, you ask? Mountaintop removal (MTR) is a relatively new type of mining in which the entire tops of mountains are blasted away using millions of pounds of explosives to expose buried seams of coal. This practice can involve removing 500 feet or more of the mountain’s summit to get at these seams. The earth that is removed is then dumped into the neighboring valleys, creeks and rivers, causing damage to the environment, water supply and health of the surrounding communities. According to an EPA environmental impact statement, more than 1,000 miles of Appalachian streams were permitted to be buried as of 2001, and more recent studies show this dumping causes increased toxins & higher rates of birth defects near MTR sites.

In an effort to help stop this destructive practice, we partnered with Merrell – and you can help. From July 8 – 24, purchase any pair of shoes from our Merrell Barefoot Collection and Abbadabba’s and Merrell will donate $5 to Appalachian Voices, an organization that is fighting to end MTR.

We wanted to partner with Merrell on this cause because mountaintop removal signifies the very antithesis of Merrell’s “Get Outside” message. Merrell is a huge supporter of outdoor education and organizations, including the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Conservation Alliance. They encourage environmental stewardship. Of course, I can’t forget to mention that their shoes are fabulous for outdoor pursuits, such as hiking, trail running and more!

And on a personal note…this cause is a deeply personal one to me as my family hails from the mountains of eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia. Over the last 3 decades, I’ve witnessed the destruction of my homeland, one mountaintop at a time, to the hands of a few big coal companies. A lake where I swam each summer that used to be surrounded by rolling summits is now bordered by eerie, tree-less flat-tops. Areas where my family used to hike are now barren craters. Each time I go home, the landscape has changed again and more mountains have been lost. The ecological damage is staggering, and yet not enough people are paying attention.

Hopefully, that will start to change…Activists are growing in number, and films such as The Last Mountain are garnering more attention to the cause. Groups such as Appalachian Voices are working diligently on state and federal levels to make this particular breed of mining illegal. It’s my hope that all of us — as fans of outdoor activities, stewards of the environment, natives of or even visitors to the Appalachian mountains — could all band together to help end the destruction caused by MTR.

Kristen Smith
CFO, Abbadabba’s

We are often asked by our customers to recommend shoes for their upcoming trips. Our female customers are often looking for good, comfortable shoes that also look good with a skirt. Read below for recommendations from “Abbadabba” herself, also know as Janice Abernethy.

I have faced the same concerns myself and this is what I chose:

• Naot sandals
• Mephisto walkers
• Keen water sandals and mary janes
• Salomon trail shoes
• Chaco flips
• Vibram FiveFingers

Of course, I was traveling for a month and was going to be walking as well as hiking, both in jungles and on city streets, so I needed to cover a lot of bases. But what I tell everyone is that no single shoe can do all things. Not only that, but you should never wear the same shoe day after day (especially if you sweat in them or they get wet). Your body does not benefit from being entrained to respond in the same way and to the same shoes day after day. We benefit from varied stimuli. Plus, the shoe has no time to “refresh” and regain it’s memory.

What I usually recommend as bare bones for most women is a basic slip-on style from an outdoor brand like Merrell or Keen that can be worn as a city dress/ walker. Many of these styles have the added advantage of being weather proof. Add to that a hiker from a brand like Salomon, and you are good to go for most activities both on and off the trail. Picking lightweight, collapsible, and waterproof footwear will add positively to your travel experience. Bon Voyage!