Snag your personal pair of Locals AMS

May 10, 2012 | by Ciaran | Event, Fashion

About the author

The name's Ciaran, a 27-year-old guy who loves the idea of a discovery, even if it actually isn't one. Among many other Sherlock Holmes adventures, searching for art and music is what keeps me going. High Five!

It was a sunny weekend in July last year. Daan de Jongh and Mercedita Ramirez were taking a break away from Amsterdam life and made Madrid their city for a few days. During one of their many strolls through back alleys, they happened to bump into a very small orthopaedic shoe store. It was pretty run-down with a broken sign outside and not a great selection of shoes. But there was one model that sprang out; one shoe standing tall above the rest. That shoe was the start of, what some of you might already know, Locals AMS.

Within five days we had over eighty replies, all wanting a pair of their own!

Local Produce

Sitting in their showroom, Daan told us the story of how it all began with just as much flair as a world winning Flamenco dancer. They had stocked up on a few pairs during their holiday and once they touched back down on Dutch soil they offered them to family and friends via Facebook. “Within five days we had over eighty replies, all wanting a pair of their own!”

Not much later, they went back to Spain and started their search for the factory where the shoes are made. It turned out it’s a family-owned business, three generations strong. They’ve been producing these shoes for over 60 years for elderly people. “Everything is produced 100% eco-friendly and all products are manufactured in Spain. Hence the name Locals,” Daan adds.

LA13

A Lasting Friendship

What started out as a business proposition with a small and plump Spanish muchacho, has now turned into a lasting friendship. “He once took us to this huge roadside cafeteria that looked like a nasty old truck stop. Turned out to be the best Spanish food I’ve ever tasted. Nothing like the tapas we know here in Amsterdam,” Daan tells us.

Thanks to this duo’s quick thinking that one summer afternoon in Madrid, we can stroll comfortably over the canals and stomp our feet forever at our beloved clubs. “Do you know the feeling when something sparks your imagination? This was our moment and we knew we had to act.”

If you’re looking to snag a pair of Locals AMS, this weekend is your chance. During the HTNK 1 Day Shop at Trouw on Saturday May 12th, Locals AMS will be there offering their unique shoes for sample prices. Get ‘em while they’re HOT!