Skip to main content
My Account
Pay Now
24/7 Support
Outage Center
Home
  • For Home
    • Get Internet
      • Multi-Gig
      • Bill Assistance
    • Get TV
      • TV Everywhere
    • Get Phone
  • For Business
  • Internet Speed Test
  • Fiber Facts
    • FAQs
    • Benefits of Fiber Internet
    • Local Commitment
    • Building the Elevate Fiber Network
    • Elevate In the News
    • Elevate Positions Papers
    • Elevate Blog
  • Fiber Zones
  • My Account
  • Technical Support
Menu
Nathalie & Olie, Owners at SOM Shoes Montrose

Isn’t it obvious what you do in shoes?

You put them on and wear them.

by Rachael DeRossi

Categories
Zone Updates
Grant Zone Updates
Tech Updates
Local Business Updates
Elevate Home Phone Updates
Elevate TV Updates
Elevate Internet Updates

Like most small businesses, SOM, began with a passion and a problem. Olie Marchal, an avid runner, suddenly began suffering from back pain that made enjoying the activity he loved impossible. Determined not to let his back pain beat him, Olie started researching shoes that would support his back as he ran. Inspired by Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run, which encouraged barefoot running as a way to preserve your body’s natural alignment, Olie set out for his morning run, sans shoes. What he discovered from his first barefoot run was no matter how great barefoot running was, or is, everyone needs something to protect the bottoms of their feet from the sharp and unpleasant obstacles they encounter while on the move.

 

After finding no suitable substitutions for his bare feet, Olie decided to build his own shoes. His first step was classic R&D followed by years spent in Paris studying under master cobblers. Start to finish, Olie’s first prototype took seven years, and by the time he made it to his second prototype, his homemade shoes were gaining a bit of notoriety among ultrarunners.

 

Upon completion of his apprenticeship, Olie and his wife, Nathalie Bouchard, returned to the U.S. to find that manufacturing shoes here was much harder than they had anticipated since most of the shoes on Americans’ feet today come from overseas sweat shops. As before, Olie and Nathalie came up with their own solution and opened a U.S. shoe manufacturing company right here in Montrose.

 

We had the pleasure of visiting the SOM manufacturing facility in Montrose, however, we also made the mistake of asking Olie what his shoes were best for during the interview process. His answer was like that of any purest, passionate about their craft. “Isn’t it obvious what you do in shoes? You put them on and wear them,” Olie answered matter-of-factly. He continued, “The only thing you need to do all your activities is two feet, two feet and some protection on the bottom of them. Our shoes are best suited for everything from walking the dogs to climbing  14ers and everything in between. They are made for seven to ninety-four-year-olds.”

 

We also noticed a few distinguishing elements of all SOM shoes on our tour. The most noticeable is their distinct shape. All SOM shoes are manufactured with a roomie toe box that allows your toes to spread, and which in turn, allows your body to balance on its own. Additionally, they have no arch or heel support. In fact, they are completely flat. According to Olie, this allows your brain to adjust naturally as you go about life instead of over compensating for all that cushy arch support other shoe brands insist you need. In short, SOM shoes are made with “none of the stuff that we don’t believe the foot needs.”

 

When asked how Elevate has helped support SOM’s vision, Olie and Nathalie were adamant about the necessity of local support. “When we had problems with our previous service provider, customer service was complicated and non-existent. So, for us, as a business that hosts all of its sales online, we need the support locally to resolve issues quickly.”

 

Our interview concluded with an invitation to the community from Olie and Nathalie. “Come in and tour the factory. See how our shoes are being made right here in your own community, not thousands of miles away. And buy a pair while you are at it! We ship all over the world.”

 

 

 

 

 

Popular Reads

Community Partners
Elevate Partners with Paonia Bread Works
by
Rachael DeRossi
Love and Honey Bee Company
Our business is structured to harness the power of technology and cloud computing in order to better serve the bees
by
Powering Local: San Juan Brews
by
Rachael DeRossi
Internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) is here!
by
Dakota Cole
Smart Homes Powered by Elevate Internet
by
Laura Sanders
SOM Shoes
You put them on and wear them.
by
Rachael DeRossi
Elevate TV: How to Watch
How to Watch
by
Becky Mashburn
Switching Internet Providers? Here’s what you need to know.
Switching Internet Providers? Here’s what you need to know.
by
Your WiFi Router is More Important than You Think, AND HERE’S WHY.
by
Becky Mashburn
6,154 STUDENTS HAVE THIS IN COMMON
by
Rachael DeRossi

Pagination

  • Page 1
  • Next page››
Elevate: Fast Internet (for real)

Locations

Elevate Internet

Montrose
11925 6300 Rd., Suite 101
Montrose, CO 81401

Read
21191 H 75 Rd., Suite 101
Delta, Colorado 81416

Pay My Bill
Contact Us
Call 24/7 Tech Support
 

Elevate Services

  • For Home
  • For Business

About Elevate

  • Donations and Sponsorships
  • Leadership Team
  • Events
  • FAQs

Quick Links

  • Contact Us
  • Secure Pay
  • Careers
  • Legal Info
  • DMEA Website
  • Love Elevate? Tell Others!

©2023 Elevate > FAST Internet (for real)

  • For Home
    • Get Internet
      • Multi-Gig
      • Bill Assistance
    • Get TV
      • TV Everywhere
    • Get Phone
  • For Business
  • Internet Speed Test
  • Fiber Facts
    • FAQs
    • Benefits of Fiber Internet
    • Local Commitment
    • Building the Elevate Fiber Network
    • Elevate In the News
    • Elevate Positions Papers
    • Elevate Blog
  • Fiber Zones
  • My Account
  • Technical Support