Hi everyone!
My initial reaction after learning about where our “Where’s Marty?” segment today was: “Why has no one thought of this before?
I’m talking, of course, about jbrds, the first anatomically correct footwear for children. Kids’ feet simply have not developed into the adult form, so they need a different type of support.
This story begins with Dr. Jay Lebow, a foot surgeon who practiced medicine for over a quarter of a century. He ran the foot center at Mercy Hospital and was the Orioles’ team podiatrist.
Lebow saw case after case of foot problems in adults that started when they were infants. He wondered why people were putting their kids’ feet in miniature versions of adult shoes.
So, he came up with a better idea and designed an anatomically correct shoe for little ones.
Enter his two partners: Mike Gugat, a sports industry veteran at Mizuno and Adidas; and David Hirshfield, founder of Holabird Sports. David and Jay knew one another and they brought in Mike. Thus, the company was born.
Now, the trio’s products are getting national and international attention. So it’s yet another soon-to-be Baltimore success story.
At this point, all sales of jbrds are online (as always, here’s the website to check out). But if you’re in town, you can order them from the website and then pick them up at Holabird Sports on Pulaski Highway.
On Friday, K2 and I will be at a tattoo parlor, but not the kind of tat you’re probably thinking of. We’ll see you then!
Marty B!