Meet Andrew, a colorful member of the online product specialist team and video producer extraordinaire. As you probably guessed, he brings a ray of sunshine to our team and brightens our phone customers' day with his winning attitude and expert online fitting advice.  

Position:  Online Product Specialist

How long have you worked for Brown’s Catalog Center?  Five months.

What’s your favorite outdoor activity? Grilling fresh salmon on cedar planks over a charcoal flame.

Who is your favorite superhero and why?  Batman.  ‘Why?’  The answer is also Batman.

What is the best shoe fitting advice you can give?  If the shoe don’t fit, you must acquit.

What’s your secret food indulgence?  If I told you, it wouldn’t be secret anymore.

Which were your favorite shoes as a child?  I had some snakeskin cowboy boots at one point. Coolness level: Clint Eastwood.

What’s your favorite New Balance shoe now?  I really like my blue Minimus 20’s.

What’s the most rewarding experience you’ve had working at Brown’s Catalog Center?  Anytime a customer calls to reorder a pair of shoes and tells me that what I suggested last time alleviated their foot pain. It means I’m not just selling people shoes, I’m selling people comfort.

Trisha makes a difference in lives of her co-workers each day with her delightful approach to life.

Name:  Trisha

Store Location:  New Balance Branson

Position:   Fitting/Apparel Specialist

How long have you worked for New Balance Branson? Almost 5 years.

What’s your favorite outdoor activity?  Geocaching

Who is your favorite superhero and why? Ironman because he helps people and because he finds it fun, not some moral obligation.

What is the best shoe fitting advice you can give? Don't lie to yourself…if the shoe is truly comfortable, it fits.

What’s your secret food indulgence?  I don't have one; but I will admit to all of the unhealthy things I eat.

Which were your favorite shoes as a child?  Bare feet!

What’s your favorite New Balance shoe now?  New Balance Minimus Trail

What’s the most rewarding experience you’ve had working at New Balance Branson? I enjoy knowing that for some people I am actually making a difference in their lives. 

Ashley has been a great addition to the New Balance Kansas City  team. While the customer always comes first, Ashley also loves helping and coaching other staff members with her positive attitude and winning smile!

Name:  Ashley

Store Location:  New Balance Kansas City

Position:  Assistant Manager

How long have you worked for New Balance Kansas City?   7 Months

What’s your favorite outdoor activity?   Soccer

Who is your favorite superhero and why?  Wonder Woman, because of the indestructible bracelets.

What is the best shoe fitting advice you can give?  Always treat a customer the same way that you would want to be treated.

What’s your secret food indulgence?   Chicken Santa Fe Salad from Cheesecake Factory

Which were your favorite shoes as a child?    Pink light-up shoes

What’s your favorite New Balance shoe now?   Pink New Balance 993

What’s the most rewarding experience you’ve had working at New Balance Kansas City?   When a customer with really bad foot problems calls me to tell me how much they love their new shoes, and how much they and their new insoles have helped them!

Rebecca is the fitting specialist of the month for November. A fitting specialist at our Fairview Heights IL store, Rebecca shares her happy spirit amongst team members, and most especially with her customers. We invite you to stop in and find out for yourself. By then, she just may have those Rainbow 890's!  

Name:  Rebecca

Store Location: New Balance St. Louis, Fairview Heights IL

Position: Fitting Specialist/Apparel Point Person Extraordinaire

How long have you worked for New Balance St. Louis? 335 days (give or take)

What’s your favorite outdoor activity? Quidditch (I wish)

Who is your favorite superhero and why? I’m more of a super villain girl…Harley Quinn: Who else can get away with calling the Joker “puddin”?

What is the best shoe fitting advice you can give? Bigger is better!

What’s your secret food indulgence?  It’s no secret that I’m a pumpkin addict!

Which were your favorite shoes as a child? I pretty much lived in purple jelly shoes.

What’s your favorite New Balance show now? The W890 Rainbow will be mine…oh yes, it will be mine.

What’s the most rewarding experience you’ve had working at New Balance St. Louis, Fairview Heights location? A customer sent me a postcard from Ireland!

Kenny is the Fitting Specialist of the Month for October not only for his shoe-fitting expertise, but also because of his dedication to consistently meeting and exceeding our customers' expectations. A good example happened late one Saturday night recently when he was helping a mother and daughter. The two women kept apologizing for being in the store after hours, and Kenny sincerely assured them he was happy to help them. The mother said she was doing some early Christmas shopping so Kenny even took the time to actually wrap the items she purchased. Kenny truly goes out of his way to ensure every person he meets in the store leaves with a smile. He is talented in his fitting abilities, honest in his sales, and passionate about helping others. 

Name: Kenny

Store Location: New Balance Lake St. Louis.

Position: Full-Time Fitting Specialist.

How long have you worked for New Balance Lake St. Louis? 5 months.

What’s your favorite outdoor activity? Kan Jam & Grilling.

What is your favorite superhero and why? Sebastian the Scarecrow because he is outstanding in his field. (see picture below)

What’s your secret food indulgence? I’m on a never-ending search for the world’s best burger.

Which were your favorite shoes as a child? Let’s just say I was quite the minimalist.

What’s the most rewarding experience you’ve had working at New Balance Lake St. Louis? Having a wonderful, elderly woman bring her daughter and 17-year old Chihuahua in to meet me, and getting hugs from all of them.

Do you suffer from bunions? It’s a funny word, but bunions are no laughing matter. If the joint that connects your big toe to your foot has a sore, swollen bump, it’s likely a bunion. Maybe you inherited incorrect foot mechanics from a grandparent, but bunions themselves are not hereditary. Bunions are most likely caused by tight and constricted footwear. But rest assured there are some shoes for bunions available to ease your pain!

Women tend to be bothered with bunions more than men, because of tight, pointy, high-heeled shoes. So, ladies, those cute heels with a sloped foot bed and narrow toe box might be great for a Saturday night out, but try to limit wearing those regularly to avoid potential bunion problems.

Runners can also experience bunion pain. Miles of pounding pavement and poorly fitting shoes can seriously aggravate bunions. Our very own Dr. Shoelutions recommends a few different New Balance shoes for bunions. A great running shoe is the New Balance 1080 with maximum cushioning and forefoot flex grooves that provide extreme flexibility. If walking is more your speed, try the New Balance 812, a cornerstone in the walking shoe category, which has a fuller fit and roomy toe area.  Another great option would be the Pressure Relief Insole with Metatarsal Pad to reduce pressure and friction that can cause discomfort. One more product that can alleviate pressure on the bunion joint would be our Gel Toe Spacer.

New Balance shoes for bunions are recommended not only for those who currently have bunions, but those roomier toe box styles will work well to prevent bunion development too. Remember, you probably don’t need a bigger shoe size, but a deeper, wider shoe. Find out more here or email Dr. Shoelutions with any foot condition questions at DrShoelutions@BrownsCatalog.com.