Amy, who many of you know from our Little 5 Points and Buckhead stores, has a passion for community service.  She has volunteered with Team in Training, the Arthritis Foundation and helped raise money for cancer research.

Amy learned about the work of Soles 4 Souls when she started working at Abbadabba’s in 2011 and knew she wanted to participate in a future shoe donation.   Soles 4 Souls has a shoe donation center in Haiti, a country that is in dire need of proper footwear to prevent disease and promote the health and well-being of youth.  Amy personally raised over $2,000 for the organization plus her travel costs in order to participate in this experience (including a $500 contribution from Abbadabba’s).

Amy’s group flew to Haiti on April 9th.  Her adventure began in Port-a-prince where Amy visited local orphanages hugging babies who needed affection), toured a ministry in Montrouis and stay in Farmath, where Soles 4 Souls has a community center to offer recreational and educational opportunities for local youth.  When Amy and her fellow volunteers would visit a school, the students would be assembled eagerly waiting their arrival. Working together as a team, volunteers would measure each child’s feet, wash their feet in cold water from a bucket and dry them off and then help the child try on the shoes for size. Language was a barrier, so Amy had to gauge their reactions by a thumbs up or down, or a smile.  500 new pairs of shoes donated by retailers and manufacturers were distributed.

“One of the defining moments of the trip was the first time I touched a child’s feet and saw how hardened and calloused they were from walking barefoot.  I volunteered to be here so kids don’t have to walk barefoot on rocks and rubble anymore. Schools require that children wear shoes, so their new footwear will help more kids receive an education.”

“During my trip, it felt like I was viewing a National Geographic special, seeing chaos and hard living conditions upfront that were previously images on a television screen. It was an amazing, humbling, life changing experience.”

Amy, touched deeply by this life changing experience, plans to go back. She would like to raise funds to participate in the August Soles 4 Souls shoe donation in Haiti. While she speaks humbly about it, community service has always been a priority for Amy.   We are so proud of Amy and glad to have her part of our team!

Note:  Gently used shoes collected in the U.S. and other parts of the world in shoe drives such as those at Abbadabba’s are used for microenterprise, where people in need sell shoes on the street to gain financial independence for themselves and others in the community.   We hope you will help us support Soles 4 Souls and those in need by continuing to bring your gently used shoes to our donation boxes located in all Abbadabba’s locations and by participating in Marietta’s Largest Shoe Drive!

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!

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

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

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!

“You really need a shoe that’s all encompassing – something with enough support for sprinting but with minimal heel cushion for stability while weightlifting” explains Chace. “When people come to me complaining of knee or shin pain, the first thing I do is look at the shoes they are wearing. Often, I find that their shoes have too much padding and I recommend a more minimalist shoe for training.”

Chase recommends the Inov-8 f-lite series for most of his Crossfit customers. “These shoes are ideal for Crossfit because the 2 – 3mm drop ensures that the foot remains close to the ground in a more natural and stable position. However, it still provides adequate support for running and jumping,” says Chace.

Becky agrees and says, “I love wearing the 220 Inov-8′s during Crossfit because they give me just enough support for every WOD without feeling weighed down. They are one of the only shoes I’ve worn that don’t give me blisters. The Invo-8′s are simply amazing!”

“Personally, I like a shoe that’s even more minimal than the Inov-8′s. I have trained to run in a minimalist shoe and prefer to wear the Merrell Trail Glove,” adds Chace.

We have found that Vivobarefoot, New Balance Minimus and Vibram Five Fingers are also good choices for Crossfit for several reasons:

• Performance materials used in the manufacturing provide maximum protection and return of energy
• The construction allows the foot to function as it was designed to
• The minimal drop approaches zero

Performance materials reduce impact by absorbing shock, and enhance the natural movement/function of the foot which increases the return of energy (less output of energy = more in reserve and quicker recovery time). A wide toe box and flexible sole also are critical for the foot to function totally and contribute properly and positively to any movement. The “zero” drop aspect means the foot is totally balanced as if it were barefoot, allowing for equal weight distribution and alignment of the body, especially important if weightlifting.

In the near future, you will see even more footwear options available at Abbadabba’s that enhance the Crossfit environment.

• Just how “new” are these concepts?
• Are all other shoes suddenly obsolete?
• Should we be wearing minimalist styles for everything?

Minimalism is not new. Decades ago athletes trained and ran in minimalist shoes. This last surge is a direct response to the Nike heel motion-control design that has taken running shoes in the direction of thick bottomed soles and heel pads. The design isolates the foot from ground contact and allows the heel to strike at a much greater force, passing that energy into the rest of the foot, ankle, leg and body.

That Nike heel was designed to lengthen the stride, and it did, but at the cost of generating much higher incidence of injury. For running, specifically, the change from Nike heel to minimalist has a huge affect on the runner’s stride, gait, and foot impact. The change allows the foot to function more naturally.

At Abbadabba’s, we have been providing footwear that allows the foot to function more naturally for three decades. We have been committed to shoes that make sense starting with our early commitment to Birkenstock and other “Euro-comfort” brands and styles. We have helped countless customers make a change from fashion shoes that constrict your feet to comfortable shoes that empower feet to function properly.

For walking, standing, and all kinds of everyday use, coolshoes from Abbadabba’s have always delivered exactly what the new Minimalist concepts advocate: shoes that make sense!

With the exception of such brands as Birkenstock, Mephisto, Think! and others with ergonomically-designed footbeds that help promote natural foot functions, many shoes need the addition of orthotics to correct what the shoes “un-do” regarding the functioning of the foot. When an orthotic is placed in the shoe, the heel is cupped and the entire foot is better aligned. An arch can also help properly guide and support the foot through its gait.

You may ask: “But what about ‘barefoot’/minimalist footwear like Vibram FiveFingers and Terra Plana?” These types of shoes begin with a design that allows for full range movement for the foot. They do not restrict, but instead encourage, the way we were made to walk — barefoot. These shoes are designed to center & align the heel, guide the arch, and absorb shock — all elements you’ll find in an orthotic. That said, there still may be individuals who need orthotics in minimalist shoes (perhaps due to a significant drop in their navicular bone). For these individuals simply adding a minimal insole like the Superfeet Dress orthotic to a “barefoot” shoe, can help achieve a more positive influence for full foot function.

So, to wear an orthotic or not? My personal experience is that when I’m standing or walking all day on man-made surfaces, my feet tire much more quickly without the benefits of an orthotically-integrated footbed or shoe. So for me: absolutely yes, to wear. With them I move better, faster, more efficiently…from the ground up.