Starbury Sneakers -- Shoes at a Fair Price
I don't follow American basketball (or Australian basketball or Croatian basketball, for that matter), and I don't follow sneaker news, so I hadn't heard of Stephon Marbury or the Starbury basketball shoes before.
In case you haven't heard about them either, the basic story is that Marbury is endorsing the Starbury line of shoes, which retail for around $15. Yep, that's right. $15 instead of the $100 to $200 a lot of shoes endorsed by high-profile sports stars cost. The Starbury fits in perfectly with the Steve & Barry's "big idea" -- that people should be able to buy good clothes at reasonable prices.
According to the LA Times (BugMeNot), we live in "a world where parents are pressured to shell out money for expensive
sneakers while struggling to pay rent and buy groceries; a world where
kids get robbed, shot and strangled over the latest styles." I don't know if that's true, but if it is, it's crazy. And if these Starbury shoes can help change that, then I'm all for it.
From what I've read, the Starbury One hasn't gotten great reviews as a serious basketball shoe, but compare very well when compared to other cheap sneakers. The Association (a basketball blog) says:<blockquote>Biggest notable is the sole. It's thin. Real thin. It's like walking in a padded slipper.</blockquote> and Basketbawful says:<blockquote>If you want something that looks cool to walk around in, then the Starbury Ones are a damn good shoe for $15. You could probably even use some gel inserts to make them more comfortable. BUT...if you expect to play basketball in them, you're going to be tragically disappointed.</blockquote> I suspect most people who'll be buying them won't be playing a lot of basketball in them, so maybe they'll be spared the tragic disappointment. Jerry, at Frugal Thoughts, bought a pair of low-tops for $9.95, and says "Surprisingly, the shoes don't feel cheap."
With everything getting upscaled, upgraded and/or supersized, I like the Steve & Barry's concept, and I hope we see lots more companies and individuals embracing the idea a business can be successful by selling good products at fair, reasonable prices.
Technorati Tags: starbury
In case you haven't heard about them either, the basic story is that Marbury is endorsing the Starbury line of shoes, which retail for around $15. Yep, that's right. $15 instead of the $100 to $200 a lot of shoes endorsed by high-profile sports stars cost. The Starbury fits in perfectly with the Steve & Barry's "big idea" -- that people should be able to buy good clothes at reasonable prices.
According to the LA Times (BugMeNot), we live in "a world where parents are pressured to shell out money for expensive
sneakers while struggling to pay rent and buy groceries; a world where
kids get robbed, shot and strangled over the latest styles." I don't know if that's true, but if it is, it's crazy. And if these Starbury shoes can help change that, then I'm all for it.
From what I've read, the Starbury One hasn't gotten great reviews as a serious basketball shoe, but compare very well when compared to other cheap sneakers. The Association (a basketball blog) says:<blockquote>Biggest notable is the sole. It's thin. Real thin. It's like walking in a padded slipper.</blockquote> and Basketbawful says:<blockquote>If you want something that looks cool to walk around in, then the Starbury Ones are a damn good shoe for $15. You could probably even use some gel inserts to make them more comfortable. BUT...if you expect to play basketball in them, you're going to be tragically disappointed.</blockquote> I suspect most people who'll be buying them won't be playing a lot of basketball in them, so maybe they'll be spared the tragic disappointment. Jerry, at Frugal Thoughts, bought a pair of low-tops for $9.95, and says "Surprisingly, the shoes don't feel cheap."
With everything getting upscaled, upgraded and/or supersized, I like the Steve & Barry's concept, and I hope we see lots more companies and individuals embracing the idea a business can be successful by selling good products at fair, reasonable prices.
Technorati Tags: starbury
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