Altra: "Local Shoe Company Reaches Global Market"

Very cool!:

"...Instead of resorting to running in “high heels” as he called them, [Golden] Harper “zero-dropped” his shoes by cutting the heel elevation out of them. “It was effortless,” Harper said. “I had shoes on but I ran naturally like I was barefoot! I wanted everyone to feel that feeling of being able to run natural.”

"Harper and some of the employees at the store started cutting shoes flat for people to try at their running store, and within months, more than 1,000 people had paid the local shoemaker $20-$60 to cut the heel elevation out of their shoes.

"Harper knew he had something great and set out to create and market what he had named Altra Zero Drop, stemming from the innovation of “AL-tered shoes” and his love for ul-TRA marathons.

"The shoes had a foot-shaped toe box for more room in the front, as well as a cushioned, zero-drop sole.

"However, after proposing the concept to several companies that showed no interest, he spoke to his cousin, Jeremy Howlett. “Let's just do it ourselves," Howlett told him...."

And they did. Thanks to Zach Bitter on Twitter:

Local shoe company reaches global market http://t.co/csLMR910FZ via @kslcom

— Zach Bitter (@zbitter) January 29, 2014