Made in the USA is something that is hard to come by in the world of sneakers in this day and age. It hasn't always been the case but for New Balance, it's something they pride themselves on. The Norridgewock, Maine factory is where New Balance churns out the classic 574, which can be created in your owned custom designed colorway on the New Balance website. For some, designing their own sneaker is the pinnacle of sneakers. But Foot Locker decided to take one of the best things about sneakers and make it even better.
This summer Foot Locker teamed up with New Balance to create an in-store experience for those looking to create their own identity when it comes to their sneaker choice. If you visit their store in Times Square, you can see all the materials and colors, all the way down to the stitching, that go into making a pair of custom designed New Balance 574s. The design station lets you customize 14 different parts of the shoe from the toebox up front to the optional custom stitched heel. It's so many options that you won't ever find time to create all 48 quadrillion of them (yes, it's actually that many).
The best part about the entire experience, aside from the quality of New Balance's Made in the USA sneakers, is that it takes relatively no time at all. After about 12 business days, the New Balance 574 you design in store will show up at your door. Of course, you can track its progress along the way if you're too impatient. But if you think about it, the time that it takes is perfect. You could plan a nice vacation to NYC, hit up the Foot Locker in Times Square on your first day, deisgn your kicks, and by the time you head back home, they'll likely be on their way to you. What could be more appropriate than a designed in New York City, Made in the USA, New Balance 574 to commemorate experiencing NYC?
For myself, commemorating the trip with a "Sweet Dream" of a tribute to my hometown of Sacramento was the decision. Where will you find inspiration?
