Today we’d like to introduce you to Don, Leslie, And Gaelyn Nottberg.
Don, Leslie, and Gaelyn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My wife, Leslie, and I opened the very first running/walking store in the Kansas City area in 1980 after having gone through very extensive and comprehensive education in Atlanta, GA. We are definitely an example of a small family business. Our middle daughter, Gaelyn,
joined us during summers between school years and became a permanent member of the Elite Feet family and has been here about 22 years.
Our education included not only the operation of a small business but training in the proper fitting of footwear, how to work with various injuries, surgeries, and congenital conditions. We received an education in biomechanics and foot morphology in addition to knowledge of footwear construction and quality.
It was an extremely thorough education with one aspect emphasized above all else and that was customer service. The other component that Elite Feet is known
for that is no longer existent at other retail stores is the fact we truly care about our customers.
The business has changed and evolved greatly over the last 4-5 years. The advancements and improvements in footwear and orthotic inserts have been phenomenal to say the least. We are able to help many more people with their particular challenges and needs. We are also getting more medical referrals from orthopedic physicians, podiatrists, and physical therapists than ever before.
We also have Shoe Kansas City which collects used or new shoes and donates them to 8 different local charitable organizations who in turn distribute them to the homeless population and underserved communities. We collect and donate about 20,000 pairs of shoes every year. Unfortunately the need grows every year.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been anything but a smooth road over all these years. I believe the same would be said by most small businesses that have survived the previous 10-20 years. It is becoming more of a challenge every year because the competition has grown every year, It is like riding a roller coaster, up and down, up and down.
Fortunately we have many, many really decent customers who appreciate our great customer service.
Going through the recession of 2010-2012 was a great challenge because it was an extended period of slow business with fewer customers and customers spending less on purchases.
The other horrendous period of business was during the pandemic, being forced to close the store, and very simply many people not shopping during this extended period before and after the worst of the pandemic.
We did have many customers eventually coming back to the store as restrictions eased up. We experienced a pent up demand for new shoes after the pandemic reached an acceptable level.
We’ve been impressed with Elite Feet – Kansas City, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We specialize in providing the most “perfect fit” possible in running/walking footwear for running, walking, work, play, or leisure. Our background, experience, and training is well above any of the other shoe stores or so-called “running stores” in the mid west. Excellence in customer service.
We are not just “selling” a pair of shoes, we are fitting a pair of shoes to the individual’s particular feet, addressing all the needs by way of the specific shoes, and if needed shoe inserts. The more advanced inserts can now be customized to the individual’s needs. We receive many medical referrals, people that have had surgery, knee or hip replacements, or having to go through chemotherapy.
Some times we will discover a shoe company that is not well known and we proceed to introduce it to the world.
We are extremely discriminating when it comes to our shoe selection. We have criteria that the shoe company must meet before we carry them in Elite Feet. We are more than likely the only footwear store that has a system in place like this for selecting their footwear.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Personalization, caring, listening, really listening and not just going through the motions like the other stores.
We form relationships and long time friendships with many of our customers in the Kansas City metro region as well as across the country.
We have customers on both coasts and everywhere in between.
Pricing:
- We use the “suggested retail pricing” given to us by the shoe suppliers.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://elitefeetkc.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kcelitefeet
