Went to Ann Arbor today after
Went to Ann Arbor today after work and tried on the Stems at the Birkinstock store on Fourth Street between Ann and Catherine.
They are as advertised, very roomy in the toe box, flat even though they don't look it, and very comfortable as well as flexible.
Very decent looking pair of minimalist shoes.
The only problem I had is there is a bit of toe spring which won't bother most people, but with my hallux limitis it was a no go for me.
I think my wife will love them, and they had in stock the mens in both brown and grey, and the women's in grey w/pink highlights and I think the brown also. I'll bring her back there maybe this weekend.
The store itself was great, the owners understand the barefoot/minimalist thing and that everyone's needs are different.
The guy runs 4-5 days per week, and does heel cut-down surgery on his running shoes with his trade tools! He repairs and rebuilds Birks & stuff, and knows what he's doing.
I mentioned how the Michigan chapter of the BRS piggybacked on the Ann Arbor Burns Park run May first, and I spoke about how our own Starbase (Eric) along with our President Smelph organized us all. Turns out he is buddies with Starbase and his wife from way back!
I knew the store was run by good people, but was pleasently surprised to find a running owner as well as a BRS connection there.
They are getting in Altras soon, I'll have to check them out too. Cold is coming, forcast for this Sunday's 5K 8:00 start is 43 degrees with at best a few seconds of sun on the pavement after the cool night before the race start.
Anyone planning on going to the Ann Arbor Birkinstock store for Stems, Altras, Five Fingers or whatever.....remember this:
Be sure to bring a DD.
There are FIVE brew pubs within walking distance of the store!
And for a minute you thought I was just a good guy planning on returning for the weekend to purchase ANOTHER pair of shoes for Diane?
BTW, I only had time to try two of the microbreweries, the first was barefoot friendly no questions asked with nice wood floors as icing on the cake, the second was very nice old wood floors but after a short while "I'm going to have to ask you to leave, you can finish that beer at no charge but the health department won't allow us to serve you". Obviously he didn't know LB from LL, but a meal and another brew later he is probably now one of the best educated managers on duty as far as barefoot issues go! As of now I can highly recommend the Arbor Brewing Co. in downtown Ann Arbor as 100% barefoot friendly. Hope it's not limited to just his watch, but time will tell. He also agreed that he never really has had a street person come in to kill time barefoot, but thought maybe I was his first.
