From left, Sarah Kearney, Anna Mae Rector, Audrey Cookston and Olivia Rector try out the hottest back-to-school looks at New Balance of Chattanooga.As the summer winds down, parents are beginning to think about kids heading back to the classroom. The professionals at New Balance of Chattanooga are ready to help them make sure their children are in the right shoes for the new school year.
“A proper fitting kid’s shoe allows half to a whole size worth of growing room,” said store owner Hal Kearney. “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 wornout quicker.”
Kearney stressed that getting your child measured is extremely important as not all brands of shoes fit the same way, so each style needs to be evaluated once they are tried on. New Balance of Chattanooga employees use the Brannock Device, the trusted old measuring device made of heavymetal materials, to ensure accurate fits.
“We still use it today, although experience and training plays a big part in the shoe and foot working well together,” Kearney said.
How often your child needs to be fitted for shoes might be more frequently than most parents think. “On average, kids go through shoes every four to six months,” said Kearney. “We will size them every time they come in.”