One upcoming design features a window in the heel so you can see the wheel roll, and a lighter-weight Heelys shoe will be available in time for Christmas. That s because workers at the trendy store frequently glide across the floor on what appear to be normal sneakers. But if you take a closer look at the black shoes with white stripes and orange trim frequently worn by manager Dale Addison, you ll notice something very different. These shoes, made by a company called Heelys, have a wheel in the heel. By mastering a few simple steps, wearers can propel themselves across an indoor or outdoor surface at extremely high speeds.
Wearers balance themselves on their heels rather than on the ball of the foot as they move forward.
Manufactured by a company in Texas, Heelys have taken off on the West Coast and are just now reaching the Southeast. Journeys has had them in stock for a little more than a month, and Addison says interest is increasing. We get people who come in here and decide they want to try them after they see us wearing them, he said. We ve sold them to everybody from kids to a man in his 50s. The biggest challenge to customers is learning the technique of staying upright on Heelys, Addison said.