Pedestrian Shops Blog

We are excited to see a great new style in the store - the Dansko Sissy. This is a new style for 2008, and it is great for the warmer weather. Dansko has always been one of the best brands for the Pedestrian Shops, and we are excited about the new 2008 offerings.

The Dansko Sissy has circular cutouts dot the two adjustable straps for a touch of warm weather whimsy!

This great sandal can be ordered in our store, or on our newly redesigned website here

Our solar project was featured on Denver's 9News on April 8th. The article written for 9news.com in conjunction with the story follows:

Harnessing the energy of the sun to hold onto some cash

BOULDER - One local shoe store is borrowing rooftop space as a step in helping the environment.

Pedestrian Shops is located on Pearl Street in Boulder. The rooftop it's borrowing is a couple of blocks away, in a sunnier location.

Richard Polk is the owner of the store and says because his business doesn't have enough roof space or sunshine, Polk found a "host" building a few blocks away to set up a 10 kilowatt solar panel system.

The residents are paying Polk to solar power his building and he says it offsets his business's electric bill.

"There are a lot of good reasons to use energy cautiously and put back whenever you can. The state, federal government and Xcel Energy end up paying for about half the system, as much as 60 percent in some instances," Polk said.

The solar panels will produce about 14,000 kilowatts of solar electricity every year. That's preventing about 28,000 pounds of carbon emissions from rising into the atmosphere.

For the next 20 years, the solar electricity will cost 15 percent less than Xcel Energy's prevailing rates.

Polk says he's invested about $70,000. With government rebates, renewable energy credit payments and investment tax credits, the business expects to make half the amount back in four or five years.

"These are the things that result in change of temperature. Certainly pollution and a variety of other things," Polk said.

Typically you need a lot of up-front capital to finance installation of a solar electric system.

Under a solar power purchase agreement, or PPA, the capital requirement for building owners who have sunny roof spaces are removed.

Harnessing the energy of the sun is Polk's effort to make sure the only footprints he leaves behind are the ones made by the shoes he sells.

(Copyright KUSA*TV. All rights reserved.)

You can view the video featuring 9News' interview with Richard Polk at: http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=89606

Pedestrian Shops Continues Earth Day Shoe Recycling Tradition -- Solar Energy now part of the long-time green shoe retailer's story

Pedestrian is known for its selection of the world's most comfortable brands of shoes and its commitment to defining its success (Green business practices) in social and environmental as well as economic terms.

Boulder, CO April 9, 2008 -- The Pedestrian Shops is celebrating its B' Earth day again this year with a shoe drive to benefit people in need. Pedestrian, Boulder's comfortable shoe stores were selling shoes 38 years ago, on the original Earth Day in the spring of 1970.

New or slightly used footwear is being collected at the Pedestrian Shops locations, at 1425 Pearl on Boulder's Downtown Mall and south of McGuckin Hardware in The Village, from Friday, April 18, through Monday, May 5. Customers who bring in a pair of shoes qualify for a 10 percent discount on any purchase, including footwear already sale priced.

"A purchase isn't necessary. We're just really happy to get good used shoes from people who want to help someone in need," said Lauren Polk, general manager of the Pedestrian Shops.

This is the Pedestrian Shops' (comfortableshoes.com) 40th shoe drive. It has been conducting annual Thanksgiving and Earth Day shoe drives for 20 years. More than 30,000 pairs of reusable shoes have been collected by the Pedestrian for distribution by the First Presbyterian Church Deacon's Closet and other community partners.

Pedestrian is known for its selection of the world's most comfortable brands of shoes and its commitment to defining success in social and environmental as well as economic terms. Green business practices are especially important to Pedestrian. Apart from shoe sales, Pedestrian considers its greatest success to be the recent activation of its 10.32-kilowatt solar power plant, which produces carbon-free energy equal to nearly 50 percent of the energy necessary to power its headquarters location on Boulder's downtown mall. The plant will prevent 28,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions from entering the Earth's atmosphere each year. More examples of the Pedestrian Shops' social and environmental programs can be found and commented on at comfortableshoes.com/blog .

"We believe we're the world's first solar-powered shoe store and we know we sell the world's most comfortable brands of shoes," said Richard Polk, president of Pedestrian Corporation. "I'm really excited by the notion that we now can sell shoes without leaving a carbon footprint."

The Pedestrian Shops encourages its customers to enjoy life and take a walk.

PEDESTRIAN SHOPS HARNESSING THE ENERGY OF THE SUN

Boulder's Pedestrian Shops Builds a Solar Power Plant at 1155 Canyon

Boulder, Colo., March 21, 2008 - Pedestrian Shops, a locally owned and
operated retailer, may have become the world's first solar-powered shoe
store this week, when its 10.32-kilowatt photovoltaic array went into
service. Namaste Solar Electric installed the solar panels and supporting
equipment on the flat roof of the new 1155 Canyon Building. The system is
owned and operated by the Pedestrian Shops as Pedestrian Energy, and will
provide clean electricity preventing 28,000 pounds of carbon dioxide
emissions a year from entering the Earth's atmosphere.

Pedestrian Shops, lacking adequate roof space on its own historic building
for a solar PV array, located its system a few blocks away on a building
with excellent solar exposure. Under a Solar Power Purchase Agreement or
PPA, Pedestrian Shops will sell more than 14,000 kWh of solar electricity
each year for use in the 1155 Canyon Building, with any momentary excess
going to the local power grid. For the next 20 years the electricity will
cost 15 percent less than Xcel Energy's prevailing rates. Owners of 1155
Canyon have leased the sunny roof space to Pedestrian Shops for those same
20 years.

Typically a significant amount of upfront capital is required to finance
installation of a solar electric system. The Solar Power Purchase Agreement
removes the capital requirement for building owners who have sunny roof
space and can act as a "host" for the solar PV array, as 1155 Canyon is
doing. The arrangement is also attractive to Pedestrian Shops, which will
benefit from significant rebates, renewable energy credit payments, and
investment tax credits.

Solar PPA relationships are relatively new in Colorado. Xcel Energy has
created specific rules for PPAs developed in its service territory. Namaste
Solar's expertise is being used in multiple Colorado projects that employ a
PPA financing structure.

Like many other downtown Boulder businesses, Pedestrian Shops has been
offsetting its energy usage with Renewable Energy Credits for several years,
which made it one of the first virtually wind-powered shoe stores in the
United States. The company also employs other green energy strategies,
including energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs and recycling.

This first Pedestrian Energy project will generate energy equal to nearly 50
percent of the power necessary to operate the Pedestrian Shops store at 1425
Pearl St. on Boulder's downtown mall.

"We must take positive steps in response to climate change," said Richard
Polk, president of Pedestrian Corp., which owns Pedestrian Shops. "Our goal
with Pedestrian Energy is to demonstrate that business can go even further
than, as in our case, selling shoes without leaving a carbon footprint."

Stephen Irvin, co-owner of Namaste Solar Electric, said, "Pedestrian and
1155 Canyon have taken a large step forward in the name of environmental
leadership - their relationship should be seen as a model for businesses in
our community. It has been a pleasure to develop this project whereby
Pedestrian can take advantage of state and federal investment tax benefits
while 1155 Canyon buys clean electricity at a cheaper price from Pedestrian
Energy, the Pedestrian Shops' solar power company."

1155 Canyon

1155 Canyon is Boulder's first mixed-use building with shell and core
certified as LEED Silver. LEED, an acronym for Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design, is the nationally accepted benchmark for design,
construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Housing both
commercial and residential units, 1155 Canyon also hosts its own solar PV
and solar thermal arrays to generate energy and heat. The majority of 1155
Canyon's roof is used for solar energy collection by Pedestrian and the
building's own arrays.

Namaste Solar Electric

Namaste Solar Electric is an employee-owned solar electric company dedicated
to the betterment of the planet by bringing clean, reliable and affordable
renewable energy technologies to homes, businesses, and nonprofits
throughout the Denver/Boulder area. Integrating both holistic and
traditional business methods, Namaste Solar is the leading solar electric
company in Colorado with more than 350 solar electric systems installed
since 2005. With a values-based business model and reputation for
philanthropy, Namaste Solar is a likely partner for local businesses that
want to make a positive impact on the community by purchasing a solar
electric system. Namaste Solar is committed to maintaining the highest
standards of environmental stewardship, customer satisfaction, employee
morale, community involvement, and professional integrity.
www.namastesolar.com

Pedestrian Shops

The Pedestrian Shops, a 39-year-old family-owned company, operates two
Boulder stores, one on the Pearl Street Mall and the other in The Village
shopping center, as well as the web site, www.comfortableshoes.com
. Pedestrian Shops sells the world's most
comfortable brands of footwear and encourages its customers to enjoy life
and take a walk.

Richard Polk

Richard's interest in Solar Energy began long before he became concerned
about energy shortages and climate change. In 1963 he won a first-place
award for his junior high school science project on solar energy, and 40
years later he is still promoting solar energy. On Dec. 14, 2006, an
innovative solar sales tax rebate ordinance he proposed while a Boulder city
council member became law. The ordinance provides for rebating a portion of
the sales tax paid on the purchase of photovoltaic or solar thermal systems.
Thirty-five percent of the rebate is returned to the person or business that
paid the sales tax and the remaining 65 percent is used to install renewable
energy systems on affordable housing and site-based non-profit
organizations, adding a unique social equity component to the solar
ordinance. In the ordinance's first 12 months, the amount of solar installed
in Boulder more than doubled; in year two an increase of more than 1,000
percent in watts installed is expected. Richard continues to promote solar
energy by serving on the customer advisory board of Xcel Energy's Renewable
Energy Trust, as well as through other projects including Pedestrian Energy.

The Pedestrian Shops is proud to have been recognized by Clean and Green as being an environmentally conscious retailer by using wind energy to power our business.

The Pedestrian Shops has always been a leader in promoting and using earth-friendly business practices. Here are some of the ways that we have helped to minimize our consumption and waste, and how we have helped people in need.

Whenever possible, we will use recycled shoe boxes to ship internet orders

Our store is 100% wind-powered with Renewable Energy Credits

All store employees are offered an Eco-pass for Boulder's city bus system

Every Thanksgiving, the Pedestrian Shops holds a shoe drive. In celebration of the many things we all have to be thankful for, Boulder's Pedestrian© Shops are encouraging customers to donate shoes they don't use to help people in need. Customers bringing in a pair of recyclable men's, women's, or children's shoes will receive a 10% discount on any new pair of shoes, sandals, clogs, or hiking boots

To celebrate EARTH DAY, the Pedestrian Shops encourage customers to recycle their shoes for people in need. Customers bringing in a pair of recyclable men's, women's, or children's shoes will receive a 10% discount on any new pair of shoes, sandals, clogs, or hiking boots

Name: Carla W
Meassage:
Super fast shipping, wonderful customer service and excellent shoes. What more can you ask for. Thank You

Name: J. Gilbert
Meassage:
I just received the shoes I ordered from you. I have never received a shipment in a recycled box before. Nice going! Thanks for a smooth transaction.

Name: Val B

Meassage:
I just wanted to add to your feedback page. I'm disabled, so im unable to use email often; and uncomfortabble giving my information over the computer. But wheen I emailed about the shoes I wanted, they thoroughly went out of their way to answer my MANY questions. and they even held them for me, even though i couldn't email them back for days. they probably held them for me for about a week or so; which was so great for me because i was very sick that time. but they trusted that i'd get back to them, which is very unusual for stores too be so nice and hold something for longer than a day. these shoes are the only comfortabble things i can wear & they're discontinued now. They sent them quickly, and i'm very grateful for them. Most places aren't even worth taking the time to send comments, but the staff at Pedestrian Shops deservess it. Thank you again!
Val B.
New Mexico

Dear Pedestrian Shops,

I want to thank you for your wonderful service! Not only did you phone me within minutes of my order to inform me that the size I requested was not available, but I received my shoes almost right away. They are beautiful and they fit perfectly. So well, in fact, that if I had gotten what I ordered, they would have been too big. I am very happy, and I will keep your store in mind when I need footwear in the future. Call me a happy customer.

Yours truly,

L. P. Austin, Texas

David

You are wonderful. I really appreciate your effort, and more so your personal responses. I know that personal responses are against the rule in corporate America and corporate how to build a business with maximal time efficiency etc.... but your correspondence has won a true customer for life.

I don't fit the business mould, however I do mildly well in NY - I hope your attitude and handling of customers will attract lots of comfortably off, unsuccessful "big-city" types like me. You are welcome to refer clients to me for praises.

Tom, New York

What a great surprise! I just got back from a camping trip in -Arizona- (down in the Tortolitas with day trips to Bisbee and Tombstone, etc) and got my shoes when I picked up my mail this morning!

Thank you -so- much for your help. I love all Dansko clogs, and this particular style is discontinued and it's been -very- difficult to find then in stock anywhere. I really appreciate your help.

Take care,

-- Andria

** Send us your feedback at: shoes@comfortableshoes.com **

"Crocs Inc. earned $4.1 million, or 12 cents per diluted share, on revenue of $33.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2005, the company reported Thursday.

That compared with a loss of $1 million, or minus 4 cents per share, on revenue of $5.4 million in the same quarter a year earlier.

Crocs Inc. (NASDAQ: CROX) is a Niwot-based footwear maker that went public with much fanfare on Feb. 13. The company priced its shares at $21 and received approximately $97 million from the IPO.

For the full year 2005, Crocs earned $16.7 million, or 51 cents per share, on revenue of $108.6 million. That compared with a net loss of $1.6 million, or minus 7 cents per share, on revenue of $13.5 million in 2004.

Crocs reported earnings after the market close Thursday. The stock closed down 30 cents, or 1.12 percent, at $26.60. Since its debut, CROX has traded as high as $32.50."

Read the entire article, Crocs reports profitable Q4, published in the Denver Business Journal at (http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2006/02/27/daily65.html)

Excerpt:
"When sentiment turns negative the market yields bargains, and one such deal is footwear-maker Crocs (CROX:Nasdaq - commentary - research - Cramer's Take), Jim Cramer said Wednesday on CNBC's "Mad Money" show.

"Sometimes the market just gives you a great deal. You gotta take it," Cramer said. Crocs, a maker of light-weight, odor-resistant shoes, came public last week at $15 and traded to $30 on its first day. Since then, the stock has been caught in the market's downdraft; it closed Wednesday at $28.

"There was no way Crocs was gonna catch fire when the market was getting beat up," Cramer said. If not for the general malaise, "Crocs would be trading at $35, and that's where I think it's going to go." Cramer highlighted the shoe-maker's 57% gross margins, solid unit growth, and profitability.

"They have a stylish product that's in demand and doesn't have a lot of competition." Cramer said, adding that he sees "seven points of upside and maybe just a couple of downside.""

Read the entire article, Cramer's 'Mad Money' Recap: Beat a Path to Crocs, written by thestreet.com staff for thestreet.com at (http://www.thestreet.com/_googlen/funds/madmoneywrap/10268690.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEN&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA)

Excerpt:
"Crocs Inc. (CROX: chart) priced 9.9 million shares at $21 per share on Thursday. The price came above the expected range of $19 - $20. On Monday the company increased the number of shares from the original filing of 9 million and its price forecast from an earlier range of $13 - $15 per share. The offering was worth $207.9 million.

Crocs offered 4.95 million shares of common stock and selling stockholders sold the remaining 4.95 million shares.

In addition, the selling stockholders have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 1.5 million additional shares to cover over-allotments.

Piper Jaffray and Thomas Weisel were the lead managers with SG Cowen, BB&T Capital Markets, D.A. Davidson and Wedbush Morgan Securities serving as co-managers for the offering.

The Niwot, Colorado-based company started selling its resin shoes in 2002, and rapidly became a cult hit in its home state.

Crocs reported net income attributable to common shareholders of $12.6 million on $75 million in sales for the nine months ended Sept. 30, compared with a net loss of $627,000 on sales of $8.1 million a year ago.

Crocs debut is the second strong performance on the U.S. IPO market this year for a Colorado-based company. Last month, shares of Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG: chart) gained 100% in their first day on the New York Stock Exchange.

The stock closed the first day at $28.55, and ended the week at $26.55, up 26.4% from the offering price."

Read the entire article, Another Active Week for IPOs, written by Yordanka Bahchevanska for 123jump.com Financial Markets at (http://www.123jump.com/market-update/Another-Active-Week-for-IPOs/16664/)

"Chefs love 'em. So do doctors and nurses, office workers and athletes, gardeners and boaters, kids and senior citizens.

In fact, it's beginning to seem that everyone loves Crocs, the comfy-cool clogs that are stomping all over the footwear market.

"It's really a diverse group of people. Anyone from a three-year-old to 103-year-old," says Tia Mattson, public relations manager for Crocs at their head office in Niwot, just outside Boulder, Colo.

Crocs come in 17 colours and are made from a material called Croslite, which is neither plastic nor rubber.

"We have doctors and nurses who wear them for their medical benefits, and doctors and nurses who prescribe them for their medical benefits," she adds.

Crocs have plenty of celebrity fans, too. Among them are Iron Chef Mario Batali, who is never without his trademark orange Crocs, actor Matt Damon, country music superstars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, and several hockey players, including the Philadelphia Flyers' Peter Forsberg, the recently retired Mario Lemieux and all the Pittsburgh Penguins, who wear them in their team colours.

Crocs are so popular that stores can't keep them in stock. Manufacturers can't keep up with demand. Customers who've bought one pair keep buying more and more, adding their names to ever-growing waiting lists.

"They sell so fast it's unbelievable," says Gary Gerlach, who sells Crocs at his Riverside Coffee House in Bridgeland.

"I've been getting 50 to 100 calls a week from people looking to buy Crocs," adds Mike Yarrow, who carries the shoe at his Intersport stores in North Hill and Market Mall.

The industry loves Crocs, too. Crocs won the prestigious 2005 Brand of the Year award from Footwear magazine. And they've inspired a number of imitators, such as Holey Soles and Airwalk.

Buoyed by all this success, the company announced last year it would be making an initial public offering of stock, likely in 2006, under the symbol CROX.
The question is: Why has everyone gone so crazy for what is arguably one of the ugliest shoes around?

That's easy. It's also the most comfortable shoe around.

Crocs were introduced in 2003 as a boating shoe, a lightweight, slip-proof clog punctured with holes to let water drain from them. Not surprisingly, they're named for the crocodile, which is tough, long-lived and equally adept in water and on land.
Crocs are made of a proprietary material called Croslite, which is neither plastic nor rubber, but a closed-cell resin that is often described as "spongy" because it softens with body heat and moulds to the user's feet.

Croslite is also microbial, so Crocs are resistant to the bacteria that cause the kind of foot odour that has relegated your old Tevas to the garage.

Crocs' so-ugly-it's-adorable styling is based on European design. They come in seven different styles (only the Beach is widely available in Canada), in sizes from kids 8/9 to men's 13, and 17 colours ranging from basic black to vivid shades of lime, coral and fuchsia.

Each pair of Crocs is designed with such happy-feet features as orthotic heels, built-in arch supports, tarsal bars, circulation nubs, air ventilation ports and heel straps that can be rolled forward to create a clog or rolled back to keep the shoes firmly on your feet.

All this, and they only cost around $30, depending on the style.
(The imitators cost quite a bit less: Holey Soles, for instance, retail for $16 at Mountain Equipment Co-op. However, although the imitators look and feel similar, they are not made with Croslite, which is exclusive to Crocs. Nor do they have the ankle strap or the cute little crocodile logo.)

Crocs converts all tend to have stories like Gerlach's.

"I was helping this fellow sell them in the Roundup Centre (during Stampede last July)," he recalls. "I'd already bought a pair, and I was doing 18-hour days between opening here and closing there. I wore the Crocs for 10 days, and other than being tired, it was surprising how good I felt."

After that, he started carrying the clogs in his cafe. He's still wearing his original pair, but his wife Carole, who is also his business partner, has four pairs. Their daughter has five and is on the waiting list for a sixth.

On the Crocs website (www.crocs.com), you'll find dozens of testimonials like the Gerlachs'.

"I have never had a pair of shoes that were so comfortable that I was able to work a 13-hour shift and have my feet feel like heaven," writes a waitress named Melissa.
"I have had three knee-reconstructive surgeries, a surgery on my foot, and not one shoe has ever helped the way my Crocs have," writes a teacher named Sean.
"I have spent hundreds of dollars trying to find shoes that would not kill my feet after working 12 hours in an emergency room. . . . Crocs in our hospital look like a required part of our uniform, they are so popular," writes a health-care worker named Georgie.

"What a godsend!" writes a janitor named Rudy. "These are the perfect shoes!!! Where in the world were these shoes when I started as a custodian nearly 15 years ago?"
Hockey players love to slip their aching feet out of their skates and into a pair of Crocs.

Campers and gym rats love them because they protect them from the bacteria on the floors of communal showers.

Gardeners love them because mud rinses right off.

Even office workers love them because they're just so darn comfortable. Last fall, staffers in the Prime Minister's Office in Ottawa made news when they wore their bright Crocs to work on Parliament Hill.

"There's lots of professionals out there wearing them for work," Gerlach says.
"I have one gentleman who works for the government of Canada. He has his third pair on order. He wears them every day in the office, and he's already worn one pair out."
He's even heard of customers who've worn them hiking in the mountains.

"These people come back and tell you these little stories. Every time you think you've heard it all, they come back and tell you something more," Gerlach says with a laugh. "They're neat. They're just a great shoe.""

Read the entire article, Crazy for Crocs: The ugliest shoes you'll ever fall in love with, written by Joanne Sasvari for the Calgary Herald at (http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/story.html?id=b52b178f-920a-4a2c-b402-85d1ad59a130&k=34018)