Be Prepared for Back To School!

Back To School is coming up right around the corner! We all know what that means...shorter days, more homework, and no more late nights.

As much as some dislike BTS, we know it comes every year, and we know it goes even better when you're prepared. That includes kids school supplies, clothes, and footwear.

Shopping for BTS footwear for kids can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. Kids don't always know when something fits, they just look for the flashiest most fancy shoes on the shelf and say "I want these!" Even though these shoes are probably not supportive and probably twice the price you wanted to spend, you sometimes cave to make your shopping a little easier.

Well we want to make it really easy for you and the kids this fall, and make sure they get the footwear they need too! We do free fittings for all of our customers and make sure that the child's foot is put in the proper shoe for them.

When we're fitting for kids shoes there's a few things we recommend:

1) Shop later in the day: this ensures that the child's feet are their biggest and this is the size we want to make sure the shoes fit, so that when they're on their feet all day the shoes will fit.

2) Measure both feet while the child is standing: this is important to see where the feet measure while standing. If you measure while sitting, you are more likely to get an improper measurement.

3) Bring Socks: we know that kids wear sandals in the summer, but it's very important to try on shoes with socks as opposed to bare feet. Again, shoes will fit differently if worn bare foot, and we all know kids aren't going to run in gym class without socks!

We know that this time of year can be pricey for parents and sometimes saving costs on things like clothes and shoes can help a lot. We recommend NOT giving your child hand me down shoes. Kids feet are very delicate and the bones and tissue need to grow properly. If your child wears shoes from someone who has already moulded the shoes to the shape of their feet, your child could risk injury or long term discomfort because their foot won't be supported properly.

We want to help you and your kids this BTS season! Shop early while we have the best selection of size, styles, and widths! Let us help you prepare your kids for school next month!

Visit us on-line to check out styles before coming into our store at canadianfootwear.com!

What's Coming Up?

Many people think summer is basically over, but that's not the case! We've still got 3 solid weeks of summer left and we're going to do everything we can to take advantage of it!

First off, we've had a few inquiries lately asking if we carry sandals still. YES! In fact, we carry sandals all year round! Did you know during the winter months when you plan your vacation, you can pick up your sandals at our down town Sandal Shop? No more buying the clearance flip-flops shoved between shelves at Wal-Mart because we've got you covered for comfort and style ALL year round!

Some of you have probably heard of the Dirty Donkey Run, maybe you're even participating this summer. The event takes place this Saturday August 15th at Assiniboia Downs.

We were asked by the very well known Ace Burpee from 103.1 Virgin Radio if we could help his race day go smoothly by being his Shoe Guy on race day. Of course we said yes! If you spot Ace Burpee throughout your obstacle run check out his apparel and footwear provided by Canadian Footwear! We're super happy to support Ace in his journey to run the obstacle course as many times as he possibly can. Way to go Ace!

Finally, our Back To School Launch event is taking place this Saturday! This is going to be something you won't want to miss. What's better than free food, prizes, and a chance to win a pair of New Balance Kids shoes?! Nothing!

All three of our locations will be hosting so feel free to join us downtown, on St Mary's or on Regent! Our fall styles are starting to roll in so make sure to check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages for updates on when they hit the showroom floor!

Ahhh It's Almost Fall!

We hope everyone had a much needed, relaxing long weekend! We have had a very busy few weeks around here, and things are about to get even busier in the upcoming weeks for BTS!

Next week, we will be holding out BTS Launch Event to promote some new styles, show our appreciation, and have some awesome prizes for you our customers! You'll definitely want to be in our store on August 15th to see what it's all about!

With back to school coming up around the corner, we know you'll be shopping for your kids new running shoes and winter boots. Kids grow out of shoes very fast, and sometimes parents can't afford to buy their kids new ones. Our Fit Feet On The Street program ensures that we can get as many shoes out to families that don't have access to proper footwear. If you happen to be digging through your closets in the next few weeks and find some shoes that aren't fitting, feel free to drop them off at any one of our locations! We accept men's, women's and kids new or gently used footwear!

We've also launched a new protocol for customers shopping at our downtown store. As of today, we require that all customers are provided with a bag when making a purchase in our store.

Why are we doing this? We are certainly not trying to put more waste into the environment, in fact our bags are biodegradable! It is simply a safety procedure that we are putting in place at our downtown location. For those customers who want to recycle their bags, we will have a box by our door for you to put your bag in should you choose not to take it. We thank you all for your understanding on our new protocol. If you have any questions, feel free to ask any of our staff!

And we've got new products in store, and boots starting to fill up our basement! We know, we know, no one wants to think about winter. But, better to be prepared! These will start making their way into our showroom in the next couple of weeks! Here's a sample of one that's already up: our Rieker Greece Boots in black and red!

We are really excited to see you out for our BTS Event, so mark it on your calendar! August 15th at all three locations! We can't wait!

Orthotics vs Insoles

Orthotics and insoles....the same in some ways, but different in so many. Many people think they're the same, only with orthotics being more expensive. We're answering some FAQ's that customers bring us this week!

So what's the difference?

What Are Insoles?

Insoles are shaped inserts that fit into shoes. They might be built into the shoe already, or removable. Some are manufactured for sale in stores that have more support or different functions for people with different feet. These can be purchased over the counter and can range in price. The downside to insoles is that they don't fit all foot types and their lifespan is usually shorter than orthotics. 

What Are Orthotics?

Orthotics are also insoles, but they are custom made to fit your feet more efficiently than over the counter arch supports. These require a prescription from your doctor. These are made from a 3D model of the patient's foot and is made from raw materials to meet the patient's specific needs. The only downside to orthotics is that they are significantly more expensive than regular insoles because they're custom made. 

Who needs orthotics?

Any person can benefit from orthotics. The best way to find out if you need them is to see your family doctor first. They can look at your feet/legs and diagnose whether or not you need to see a podiatrist/pedorthist or if over the counter insoles will help fix your problem. 

Am I covered for orthotics?

Every Health Care provider is different, so you must check with them to find out if orthotics will be covered. 

Why are orthotics so expensive? 

If you have any more questions, we have certified pedorthists on staff who are very well trained and know everything there is to know about orthotics and insoles. If you know you need orthotics, please call us to book an appointment at 204-944-7460 and we would be happy to help!

How long do they last? 

Orthotics lifespan can vary depending on the person using them. It all depends on the materials used, the patient's foot structure, activity level, age, gender, and physical condition. You'll know you're due for new orthotics when your foot symptoms start to return. This will be a good indicator to determine if you need some modifications done, or new orthotics altogether.

For more information on orthotics you can check out the Pedorthic Association of Canada's website at http://www.pedorthic.ca/ Have a great weekend Winnipeg! 

Our Doors Are Open...Come on In!

It might be hard to believe but we're almost through May already and June is right around the corner. Summer is (almost) here and after the weekend we just had, I think it's safe to say the nice weather and sunshine are here to stay!

One of the best things about summer in Winnipeg is there's so much to do and see! This weekend coming up we're part of an annual event in Downtown Winnipeg that showcases more than 80 of the city's finest sites, architecture, and history. Doors Open Winnipeg is a free event that takes place on May 30th and 31st. You are invited to come downtown to participate in tours, live music, raffles, and of course the fantastic food and beverage vendors.

There are a couple of ways Canadian Footwear is taking part in the event this year. There is a raffle that takes place over the two days where you can purchase tickets to win fantastic prizes. We have donated a pair of Merrell shoes (courtesy of Merrell) for you to win! If you are the winner of this prize, you can come into our store and pick out a pair worth up to $160!

If you're around the downtown area taking part in the free events, we're also giving out $20 coupons to use in our store! These can be used on a purchase of $100 or more on regular priced merchandise. Spot one of the reps from Doors Open handing them out over the weekend!

Finally, we've made up a special prize basket for our social media followers! If you check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram later this week you'll see a game that we're doing over the weekend and anyone can participate! All you have to do is come into our store to pick up a copy on Saturday or Sunday, finish it, and bring it back to our downtown store by Sunday May 31st at 5PM. If you successfully complete the game, you'll be entered to win our prize basket filled with some sweet goodies! We'll give you a hint....

But you'll have to come down to our store next weekend to figure out what it is! 

We hope to see you out and about this weekend! Be sure to follow us on social media for the latest updates and promotions on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Bust A Move

Happy Friday Winnipeg! We are so excited with all the stuff that's going on around here that we got two posts on the blog this week!

We wanted to take this time to highlight one of our staff member's. Mark who does our shoe repairs and modifications at our downtown location, was recently at a dance competition in Montreal, and we'll let him tell you all about it!

"Hello my name is Mark San Juan and my dancing name is “Daddy GoodFunk”. My style of dance is called “Locking”! Locking is one of the first street dances that dates back to the late 60’s created by Don “Campbellock” Campbell. It is still kind of unknown in Winnipeg. Myself and some of my crew members of GoodFunk (Joe Boy Rock, Majestic, Shaq Daddy, Lester, Vivik and AllyCat) are helping Locking and other older dances resurface in our city. Because Locking was rare to find in Winnipeg we had to travel around where Locking is still strong, places like Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, Las Vegas, and Montreal!

Back in 2009 I won my first Locking battle dance competition called “One Touch” in Calgary. After that I got married and had a baby named Illya. Now in May 2015 I wanted to Battle again to see where I am at in Locking so I decided to enter a competition called “Bust-A-Move” in Montreal. With the help of Canadian Footwear giving me support with some of the funds it really made my trip an enjoyable experience that I will never forget. I was able to meet up with other Lockers who travelled from all over the world in one place to learn from each other.

Day 1: Friday May 1^{st -} I had made it past preliminary that was done off the main stage that moved me on to day 2. Day 2: Saturday May 2^nd - I faced my opponent in the top 16 of 25 other Lockers. Given the chance to touch and dance in front of hundreds of people on the main stage (also live streamed on-line) was something I have never experienced. Losing to Jeff D. in the top 16 just showed me that Winnipeg has to step up their game, travel as individuals, take experience back to Winnipeg and share your knowledge to help raise the level and let the world know that Winnipeg has great dancers! Let us Rep our City."

Way to go Mark, and keep up the good work! All of us at Canadian Footwear are very proud! You can check out a video of Mark dancing in the competition on YouTube as well as our Instagram! 

(Mark's also rocking the New Balance MT580HTT style shoes, which he says helps keep him dancing all night long)