If you are a fan of Salvador Dali you could easily think he would say something about the time that elapses between our newsletters, such as: “Time is like snow; it melts away. But between old friends, time has no importance; we enjoy it when it comes.”
We appreciate being able to communicate with you every time there is SOM news. This month is about the new SOM sole which we launched in June, our investment in the young generation via Partners of Delta, Montrose and Ouray, the new models we recently launched, the ones that are in their retirement phase and, most importantly, what is new for 2019!
SOM Sole (by Olie, our shoemaker)
In June we were excited to finally introduce the new SOM soles, and for good reason! (See our last newsletter about it: A New Sole For Our Soul) It’s now been 5 months since we started to manufacture our shoes with the new branded sole, and things have been going well. The production side is much more efficient, and the quality and overall look has been improved. The constructive feedback that we have received from you, our customers, has confirmed that we are on the right track.
One of the main goals of this process was to find the right balance between the density (comfort) and the wear of the sole. The sole cannot be too soft nor too hard. We want it to be as close as possible to the natural feel of being barefoot without any discomfort when walking, running or any other activity for which you may use your SOMs (or all of these activities). At SOM Footwear we are well aware that there’s always room for improvement and we truly appreciate your input which we always take with great consideration.
November Giving Month
November is the month to remind ourselves how important is it to share with each other. This year, SOM Footwear is taking a step further than usual by supporting a local non-profit organization called Partners of Delta, Montrose and Ouray . This organization is dedicated to building one-to-one mentoring partnerships between young people and responsible caring adults. Young people, with a mentor in the Partners programs, benefit from increased self-esteem, academic improvements, pro-socio bonding and are less likely to become delinquent or fall prey to substance use.
At SOM Footwear we believe in investing in future generations to ensure a better world, and we are proud to support this non-profit organization. We will give the proceeds of the outlet store’s donation box, which is funded when customers purchase a pair of “like new” SOM’s. We will also donate $5 from each new customer online purchase during Small Business Saturday Nov. 24th. This is in conjunction with Partners’ chili bowl fundraiser which will be hosted on the same day.
SOM's Shoes Big 5 in 2019
In 2019, SOM Footwear will be reaching a milestone and celebrating five aweSOMe years in business here in Colorado! As a dedicated team, we are proud of our numerous accomplishments and we are grateful for the loyalty and continued support from customers like YOU.
When reflecting on our story, our team came to the conclusion that our customers are the best in the world! We will celebrate and honor SOM’s customers throughout the year. Watch for our upcoming newsletter to learn more about our celebrations.
The Monthly Contest #somadventures
Beginning 1-1-2019, we will be hosting a monthly sweepstakes as our way of saying “Thanks” for five great years! Details of the sweepstakes will be posted on Instagram and Facebook as well as on our website at www.somfootwear.com. We'll send the winners a Colorado made gift box.
* Colorado-gift box content may vary from image above.
To enter the sweepstakes, please upload your favorite picture of you wearing your SOMs. All submissions should include one (1) photo taken by you, and a short story about your SOM adventures, followed by #somadventures. We will accept submissions via Facebook, Instagram or email (somteam@somfootwear.com). The sweepstakes begins 1-1-2019 and will end at midnight, 7-31-2019. One winner will be randomly selected each month and winners will be notified vial social media or email.
Newer Models And Retirees
The Nightfall, with blue or red accents, was launched at the end of the summer. A third accent color, Nightfall with white, was launched recently in response to a special request from one of our customers. We liked it so much, we voted to have it as a regular! The Nightfall offers the same extra laces matching the thread color as those with the Briquette, a feature that seems to be much appreciated by our customers.
For those or you who like a classy light linen color, the SOM’ore model was released in the middle of summer 2018 and is proving to be very popular.
Presently offered with red, blue and purple thread color, our summer collection of the Briquette model is still much in demand, so we have decided to keep it in production until the end of the year. We’d love to know what your favorite thread color is. Red, blue or purple: which would be your choice?
The Retirees
The limited editions of the Bicycles and Flannel, and last year's models Zephyr, Juno, and Norwood in Color sage and red are not in production anymore. If some of you feel a bit nostalgic about these models, we still have a few pairs available in a limited selection of sizes.
Share your SOM’s adventures
We are always curious to know where your SOMs take you. The next time you find yourself somewhere neat, we invite you to snap a photo and share the moment with us, too! Here are few that we enjoyed. And with those love notes, we wish you a very happy turkey season, with precious family time.
____________________
"So glad you enjoyed those pictures of the bicycle shoes on the canals of Venice. They are getting more compliments than you can imagine. The shoes are kicking it! I have climbed, ridden and hiked. They are holding up great!"
D. Christenen of Portland, Oregon
October 2018
____________________
"The view is of Walmea Canyon (Hawaii) . I do believe these are some of the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned, and I will be ordering another pair soon!"
J.M. of DeValle Texas
October 2018
____________________
" I've already shared feedback on your incredible customer service. This time, the "WOW" is about my new Norwood's. This week, I had the opportunity to hike a VERY rugged trail, with lots of rocks and boulders to maneuver. The Norwood's performed very well. My feet were happy at the end of the hike. Thank you for making an amazing shoe."
J.Z. of Pueblo Colorado
September 2018____________________
"This email is long overdue. Since I received my SOMs back in February they have been on my feet everyday. I am a carpenter with wanderlust and thus these shoes have been put through the ringer. I am also a minimalist owning only a pair of Blundstones (work/everyday), snow boots, and flip flops - the SOMs have replaced my Blundstones. When the shoes arrived I was starting a full kitchen gut and remodel, the abuse began. Then we took a family trip to Italy and the U.K. - I only carried my SOMs and flip flops, we walked all day, everyday - my feet were happy. Back home in Colorado I began framing a garage pop top, then a 1200 sq ft addition, all the while my feet have been happy and strong thanks to your shoes. I have been impressed with the durability and minimalism of these shoes. I have always spent as much time barefoot as possible, so the transition to such a thin shoe was easy however I have noticed my feet are stronger and I have greater dexterity in my toes. Thanks for making non-shoes for when shoes are needed. I'll be ordering a canvas pair for the summer."
J.A. of Fort Collins, CO
May 2018____________________