New Balance of Chattanooga partners with Boys & Girls Club for back-to-school season

As summer break comes to a close, parents and kids are getting ready to head back to school. For any, that means new shoes are in order.

This back-to-school season, when shoppers purchase a pair of kids' shoes at New Balance of Chattanooga, 30 percent of the sale price will be donated to Boys & Girls Clubs of America in the form of footwear. The event is part of the local business' "Spark Start" campaign designed to give kids a lifetime of movement," said store owner Hal Kearney.

"Fitting children's feet should not be taken lightly," Kearney said. "A total of 25 percent of the human bones are located in the feet, and they need to be taken care of."

At New Balance of Chattanooga, parents can rest assured that their children will be given nothing less than a proper fitting experience from qualified professionals. Kearney stressed that poor-fitting shoes can result in numerous problems, from blisters to inflammation in tendons and muscles, and that's something the professionals at New Balance avoid at all costs.

"Don't try to fit children too big," he said, referring to parents purchasing their kids shoes in sizes too big to allow for longer wear. "Most kids will wear out the shoes before they outgrow them. A proper-fitting kids shoe allows half to a whole size worth of growing room. Too many times, parents request a shoe to be even bigger than that, but in doing so the shoe flexes and creases in areas not designed to do so. Therefore the shoes look worn-out quicker."

If parents are curious about the size and fit of their children's shoes, he encourages them to bring their kids by for a free evaluation. Sometimes it's as easy as a quick checkup and sometimes it means tune-up with new laces or inserts.

"There are so many shapes and sizes available these days in shoes that it's rarely the case that your child will be the same size in every model," Kearney noted, adding that kids should be sure to try on each model and not just make a purchase based on assumed size.

Styles available for kids at New Balance this back-to-school season offer lots of color options that Kearney said are very popular. While parents may see things a little more conservatively, lots of times the New Balance staff can help by dressing up a shoe with some fun laces or other accessories.

"The Hook and Loop [Velcro] styles are always popular," said Kearney. "However, our elastic lacing system can make any shoe a slip-on for $4.99 extra."

For more information about New Balance's back-to-school special, visit newbalance.com/sparkstart or stop by the store for a fitting and to view this year's most popular kids' styles and models. The event runs now until Aug. 31.