I haven't blogged for almost two years now...

All of our current news and specials are sent out via email monthly so if you want to be included, please visit www.ez-shoes.com/news.htm and sign-up! You won't miss any of our specials, recipes, health articles and more! Someday, I will get back to blogging... I hope!

Update from Patricia Kane...

I sent the link to the entry in the blog about Patricia to her and she added the following:

"I really do think that you should mention about "my Masseuse running 12 miles each morning up the grades of Jamestown/Sonora who warned me 3 years before to buy them and about your own health story about how you can run again. I think it would encourage folk that they can again get their sport together--the shoes make it possible.

Your personal story really inspired me and your employee who went home who told me that cosmetologists, barbers, doctors, lawyers, and welders all stand on their feet and buy your product. These are the people that should know what works, have the money to buy the best, and buy your shoes--what a testimonial!

Furthermore, the cost of your quality shoes was cheaper than my Sass shoes, a former standard shoe among my friends.

Just a thought of what you could add to your blog from me.

Sincerely, your fan, Patricia Kane"

So, all you people on your feet all day or those that really want to get back into an active lifestyle, give Z-CoiL Pain Relief Footwear a chance! It might change your life!

Until later,

Caesar...

Newsletter subscription

We have a newsletter that you can easily subscribe to. It is sent out 6-8 times per year at this time and contains advance notice of new styles, product additions, sales and other tidbits of information. To subscribe, click here.

Till later,

Caesar...

Testimonial - Patricia Kane

I remember Patrica well, since she came into our store at 10 minutes until closing and needed a pair of Z-CoiL footwear. She had driven many miles to get to the store and we proceeded to fit her in a pair of SideWinder Sandals. Patricia works at a local college and has turned many other people at the college on to Z-CoiL Footwear. It turns out they had a lot more benefit than she even expected...

"When I bought them, I only wanted good shoes--what I got was an unexpected bonus of a much needed 5 hours night of sleep that I hadn't had in a while!" says Patricia. "I own an over $5K machine for my sleep disorder. I never imagined that the pain was from my feet and knees and that your Z-Coil would assist me in getting a good night of rest!

"I don't need to see the podiatrist as often, the better news is that I walk erect, something that that physical therapist wanted me to do more of, and I can walk with more ease now," Patricia adds.

"Thank you for your amazing product! They look great and I am not the least embarrassed to wear them-- I am doing all in my power to spread the good news of your remarkably good shoes. Thanks for your newsletter! Good luck in business!" she concludes and signs it "Your Fondest Fan."

As Patricia found out, everything's connected and everything can be related. If your knees are hurting, it might be due to your foot alignment. If your hip is hurting, it might be due to your posture. Z-CoiL Footwear can resolve many different issues due to the unique nature of the shoes. So come on in and give them a try... The only thing you have to lose is your pain!

Till later,

Caesar...

In Memory of Kathleen Bolton

If you live in the Bay Area, you might have recently remembered hearing about an accident that occurred in Stern Grove in San Francisco where a woman was killed by a falling redwood tree branch while she was loading her dog into her car. That woman was Kathleen Bolton, a enthusiastic, fun-loving, vibrant woman and a very avid Z-CoiL supporter.

I had the pleasure of dealing with Kathleen on many occasions, since she had several pairs of our footwear and was a bit of a tough fit due to her issues causing her to have to return to the store for adjustments. Whenever Kathleen would enter the store, it would light up! She always had a smile on her face and was so full of energy. We talked about everything while she was there and there was never a dull moment! I especially enjoyed it when there was another customer, because I could sit back and just listen to Kathleen sell the other customer on Z-CoiL footwear! I never had to say a word and the other customer always bought! It was amazing...

She had a zest for life and a love for her animals. I had the pleasure of meeting many of her friends also, since she would refer them into the store and I know that she will be missed by many. She was a truly remarkable person!

Till later,

Caesar...

The Transformation has begun!

You've seen them... people walking around everyday with a piece of thin rubber on their feet called a flip flops! Did you know that they are the worst thing possible for your feet? No protection, no arch support, and no cushioning...

In a recent article published in USA Today, a spokesperson for the American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons says "Flip-flops were never meant to be everyday shoes. They were meant to wear from the locker room to the pool and back." Common foot ailments associated with ordinary flip-flops can include heel and arch strain, heel calluses and hammertoes. (Read the full article here).

Well, we have the solution. Although Z-CoiL's still remain the most cushioned, impact reduction footwear on the market, the "fitflop" provides much more than an ordinary flip flop provides. Many of our customers are looking for that wear-it-around-the-house shoe, or that go-to-the-bathroom-in-the-middle-of-the-night shoe or even that I-want-to-go-to-the-beach-and-not-get-my-ZCoils-dirty shoes. The "fitflop" is the perfect solution!

It provides 38% impact reduction, cushions the body with every step, and even more, tones your legs as you wear them! I won't guarantee that you will end up with legs like Cameron Diaz, but it will help! The "fitflop" was developed in a biomechanics lab in London and this revolutionary footwear activates the muscles in your feet, calves thighs and buttocks, while helping you maintain better posture! It is a perfect shoe to wear when you need something to slip on around the house or while going to the beach.

We just got them in last week and they are selling like hot cakes! Many customers are buying them as an adjunct to their Z-CoiL's. We have several colors available for a cost of $49.95. Come in and try a pair on! You will be glad you did!

Till later,
Caesar...

A Transformation!

During the course of the next few months, our stores here in the San Francisco/San Jose area will be going through a transformation! Our goal has always been to be the ultimate pain relief center for our customers here in the Bay area, but we realized we were falling short... Not everyone can wear Z-CoiL Pain Relief Footwear for some reason or another. Even our most loyal customers want a shoe that is good to wear to the bathroom in the middle of the night, or once a week to church or even on the beach on a Sunday without having to put on their Z-Coil shoes for fear of getting them dirty.

After talking to some other dealers and doing some research, we found some other shoes that will benefit our customer community immensely. We will be adding lines of shoes to our store that compliment Z-CoiL footwear. We still want to provide impact reduction and relieve the stress that concrete puts on your body, but we will not be adding just the run-of-the-mill footwear. Every style we select will provide incredible impact reduction, although not as much as Z-CoiL's, and will help our customers achieve their goal of being pain-free.

We will also be carrying a new line of orthotics that work extremely well inside of a Z-CoiL shoe or can work in that go-to-church-on-Sunday shoe that you still put on occasionally.

This will also require some rework of the stores in order to be able to display the new lines of shoes, so there will be a couple of days where we will need to close. We will publish those dates ahead of time so that hopefully you will not make a wasted trip to the store.

The first of these new lines of shoes will hit within the next week. Keep your eyes peeled here for more information!

Till later,

Caesar...

Testimonial - Lori Byrd

We recently sent out a newsletter and I received an unsolicited testimonial from one of our customers. She is a flight attendant at a well known airline who was having difficulty with the long hours they were having to keep. Can you imagine being on an airplane, up and down the aisles for hours dealing with customers... keeping that smiley face on at all times?

"Thank You,Caesar!" said Lori. "Z-coil saved my career! I am a flight attendant. Our adjusted contracts demand more hours in flight.Yeah, my colleagues laugh at my ugly shoes. I walk like Tigger,but at the end of a day above my colleagues' moans you can still hear me laugh feeling no pain! " she concludes.

This isn't the first career that Z-CoiL footwear has saved! In many cases, we have people on their feet all day, whether it be a flight attendant, restaurant personnel, medical professional or retail clerk, our footwear makes it much easier to make it through the day!

Until later,

Caesar...

Referrals...

As all of our customers know, we have a referral program here at our store. If you refer 10 people that buy shoes, you get a free pair! We give out several pair per month to lucky people who help us spread the word about Z-CoiL footwear. How we do it? We ask every customer who referred them into the store and record their answer as they tell it to us. Sometimes the people are very specific and tell us Joe Customer. Sometimes it is more vague like "Jean or Jeanette something that goes to our church." Many times it is even more vague than that, like "someone I saw on the street and they gave me a card but I lost it." This makes our job of keeping track of the referrals very difficult, but we try our best to match them up when possible.

At least once a month I will have a customer tell me that they should be attheir 10 pairs, so we look them up and see only 5 people that mentioned them as referrals. Hmmm... so why the discrepancy? We ask them for the names of the people that they know they referred and that bought shoes and many times we find that the person gave someone elses name or they told us they couldn't remember the name or they told us they saw us in the newspaper. We have absolutely no control over what people tell us when they buy the shoes... we just write it down!

Another situation that comes up is that a person will refer someone in and a husband and wife come in. The wife will give us the name of the person that originally sent them in and the husband will give us the wife's name. Again, we just write it down...

So, please do not get angry with us... we do not make the entries up but just record what we are told...

Till later,

Caesar...

Our Quarterly Newsletter and Sandal Sale!

Our quarterly email newsletter has been sent out talking about the Good Question piece that was on the news, some reviews on yelp.com and a sandal sale! You can download the newsletter by clicking here!

In the newsletter, I talked about reviews on yelp.com. Unfortunately, I only listed the link for the San Francisco store. Here is the link for the San Jose Store: Click here. Some good and some bad reviews, but the nice thing about yelp.com is that you are entitled to your opinion!

We managed to purchase over 70 pair of SideWinder Synthetic sandals at a reduced price so we are passing the savings on to you! The current price for the sandals is $189.95 but we have the synthetic sandals on special for $149.95 starting this Saturday, 3/15. They are on a first come, first serve basis with no returns and no additional discounts given. So come on in and get yourself a pair for summer! While supplies last!

Till later,

Caesar...

TV News KPIX San Francisco - What Are Z-CoiL Shoes?

CBS 5 Eyewitness News answer man Ken Bastida visits the San Francisco Z-CoiL® Pain Relief Footwear™ store to test out a pair of Z-CoiL Footwear.

Click here to watch Video

Unfortunately, he had the name of our store wrong, did not give any identifying information like location, website or telephone, and basically concentrated on the strange look rather than the benefits that our footwear can provide! Needless to say, I was very disappointed... maybe because I take the job of helping people live a pain free life very seriously... a commitment to our customers... Well, as they say, sometimes bad press is better than no press at all!

After you listen to it, if you feel you have a story to tell about your Z-CoiL experience, please email Ken Bastida at the following address: mailto:bastida@kpix.cbs.com?subject=Z-CoiL Footwear. Maybe he will understand that we are about changing people's lives!

Till later,

Caesar...

It's been awhile...

A long, long, while! I actually have gotten several notes from people asking where I have been and why haven't I kept up my blog? Well, the answer is simple... kinda, sorta... I purchased the San Francisco location from Marifran Mazza on May 2, 2007. Marifran is now leading a more relaxed lifestyle and is being missed by her customers, but we will ensure we give the same high quality service that we are known for in her absence. Leading up to the purchase was a lot of research and work to understand what it meant to run two stores 60 miles apart. Since the purchase, we have done a lot of work tying the two stores together to try and ensure we have a balanced inventory which meant a lot of new computer systems... We now have both stores linked, the policies the same, and carry the same styles at both stores!

We also changed the names of both stores to Z-CoiL Pain Relief Footwear (formerly EZ Shoes and Z-Connection.) This has helped us get some better brand recognition for our great product!

So, I have made this promise before... I will try and get better at posting on a regular basis! There is always so many interesting and life-altering things that happen in our stores that we want to let the world know!

Thanks for being patient and we look forward to a bright future in the Z-CoiL world!

New Test Drive / Return Policy!

We have instituted a new test drive and return policy, not that anyone would want to return their Z-CoiL's!

If you are dissatisfied with your footwear for any reason during the first 14 days after purchase, you may either:

• Visit any participating Z-CoiL® distributor for a free fitting adjustment or repair; or
• Return the footwear during the first 7 days with your sales receipt to the store that you purchased it from in San Jose or San Francisco for an exchange of equal value or for a refund (minus a $10 return fee to cover costs) provided the footwear is in like-new condition and in the original box. After 7 days, you will be charged a return fee of 20% to cover cleaning and repackaging of the product or the costs associated with returning the product to the home office.

We have faith in our product and want you to know that you can feel comfortable trying Z-CoiL Footwear to relieve your pain. We do hope that if something is not right with the footwear, that you give us a chance to adjust them and make them right... but if we can't, rest assured that you can get a refund.

Until later!

Caesar...

Sea To Shining Sea Walk for Diabetes! Correction...

***** I had their website wrong but it has since been corrected... my apologies *****

What an incredible story this is! 4 people have started a journey across the country, 3 on foot and one driving a motor home for support. They will go from San Diego, CA to Savannah, GA, a total of 2,850 miles! Z-CoiL Corporation donated 2 pair of Z-CoiL footwear each for their trek to make the trip more pleasant.



The trip is very ambitious considering the time of year and the unpredictable weather, but they are doing it for a good cause, and that is to raise awareness for diabetes. Here is some information on the trip and where you can send money if you care to donate to their diabetes awareness or help pay their expenses.



The Trip: San Diego, CA to Savannah, GA
Distance: Approximately 2850 miles
Goal: Walk 20 - 25 miles per day
The Dates: Saturday Jan. 27, 2007 - ?



The walkers are Byron Moats, Wyatt and Margie Moats. Byron's wife, Julia Moats will be driving their motor home, which will be our base support and lodging most of the time. We are walking for the American Diabetes Association. We are hoping to raise awareness of the following:

A. The Dangers of Diabetes
1. High Blood Pressure
2. Heart Disease
3. Stroke
4. High Cholesterol
5. More Prone to Infections

B. The Necessity of Good Exercise Habits
1. Walking Reduces Blood glucose levels
2. Proper Diet Helps Control Glucose Levels



We have two goals:
1. Raise $10,000 for the American Diabetes Assn.
2. Raise $10,000 for our expenses on the walk



Our expenses will include gas for the motor home, food, and occasional lodging in motels to do laundry and just "recharge our batteries." We are about half way to our goal for expenses with about $5,000 in the bank. We are about 1/4th of the way in our quest for ADA funds.



To make a Donation:
To the American Diabetes Association: Please send a check or money order to:
ADA
Attention to Beth Hefner
1900 Powell St. Suite 120
Emeryville, CA 94608.
Please make a notation on the envelope and the check stating it is for "Walk '07".



To help cover the Moats' expenses: Please send check or money order to:
Wyatt Moats
1900 Plymouth Dr.
Providence Village, TX 76227.



You can follow their progress at http://www.c2c4ada.com/.



We wish them success in their journey!



Till later,
Caesar...

A Kodak Moment!

We regularly see people's lives being impacted to some degree in the store, but this last weekend, it was one of those "I wish I had a camera right now!" type of moment...

A woman came barely walking into the store and just made it into a chair. She said that her sister made her come into the store to try a pair on so she is doing what her sister wants. She explained that she has really bad arthritic knees and her sister thought Z-CoiL footwear might help. A minute later, her sister walked in, who is one of our customers that owns several pair of Z-CoiL shoes. The first woman, Susie, didn't really seemed to be too much into trying these shoes on. She was just waiting for her third sister to get back with aspirin so she could ease the pain somewhat in her knees.

I went through my normal explanation about the makeup of the Z-CoiL shoe and the benefits and Susie picked out a style. We got them on her feet and she began walking around, focusing of course on the fit of the shoe. The one she tried was not the best style for her foot, so she tried on a few others. Each time, she was walking more and more, and her pace was getting faster and faster as she walked around the store. Her posture changed dramatically and no longer was she bent over so much. Her gait went from a flat-footed stomp to an actual heel/toe walk because she was able to move her knees better and the rocker sole was giving her benefit. You would not have believed it was the same woman that walked in the store just 40 minutes previously! Well, both of the sisters took note and mentioned to Susie about how straight she was standing and how well she was walking. It finally hit Susie, and she rushed over to her her sister and started hugging her, saying "I can Walk again! I can walk! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Then they both started crying with tears of joy...

Those are the kind of days that make this job so wonderful! Neither she nor I will forget that day...

Till later,

Caesar...

Z-Buzz Newsletter Winter 2007

The latest version of Z-Buzz, the quarterly newsletter, is available. It contains an article on arthritis, care of your Z-COiL's, new franchises and more! It is available at http://www.ez-shoes.com/zbuzzwinter2007.pdf.

Enjoy!

Till later!
Caesar...

More Than Just a Shoe Store!

One of my customers, Herb, bought a pair of Z-CoiL's in September and went from a walker to a cane and occasionally no walking aid at all. He's all of about 5'7", very thin and in his 80's. He is a true believer in Z-CoiL's.

He called the other day and said he desperately needed a new pair of Z-Coil's. His wife is sick and he is taking care of her and last night, he was in the living room without his Z-CoiL's and without his walker and she needed him. He told me his Z-CoiL's felt too small and they hurt so he tried to take them off but couldn't (Z-Walker ties). He ended up cutting them off of his feet, straight through the leather in the toe box. Now, I'm wondering what is going on because they were plenty big when he was fit... He said he was trying to get a ride and would be in to see me.

He came in and had Uggs on, was barely able to walk, was very short of breath and the bottom of his pants from about the knee down were soaked. I lifted his pant legs and his legs were about 18" in diameter and draining water out of his legs. Considering that he is a very skinny guy, this was serious. But he didn't want to deal with it... he just wanted another pair of Z-CoiL's so he could walk comfortably! It took me 5 minutes just to get the Uggs off of his feet and his legs and feet looked horrible. Red rash, scratches from where he was using a piece of wood to try and get his Z-CoiL's off, and water just oozing out.

I told him I would not sell him another pair until he got this taken care of and that he needed to get to the hospital. His symptoms were of someone having a serious heart issue and my concern was that he was on the verge of a heart attack. All he cared about was being able to walk so he could take care of his wife and he only way he could walk was with Z-CoiL's. I finally told him that if he agreed to let his ride take him straight to the emergency room (about a 4-5 minute drive), I would not call 911 and I would put a pair of Z-CoiL's on his feet so he could walk to the car and into the hospital, which he agreed to do.

He normally wears a size 10, but there is no way a size 10 would go on his swollen feet. I happened to have a pair of M13 Z-Walker Velcro that had been stretched extremely wide for a customer. I cut the tongue loose, we got them on his feet while his ride went to get the car, and got him out the door. He did not want to leave until he paid me! I told him these were loaners and that we would fit him with his own pair once his legs and feet were back to the normal size, so off he went.

They admitted him with what I believe to be congestive heart failure. They are getting the fluids drained from his body and have him on a regime of various drugs. He is feeling much better but will be hospitalized for a few days.

My point of this whole story? When we see someone who has a medical condition and has not been to a doctor, we will recommend they do so. There are times when we will not sell a pair of Z-CoiL Footwear to a person until they see a doctor. Many times the pain may be in one area but that is just a manifestation of another underlying issue. Although we are neither doctors nor licensed medical professionals, many of the people that come in our store are or should be in the care of a medical professional. We have an obligation to recommend they see a doctor for an evaluation. So, no medical aid is a substitute for medical advice. Make sure you consult a doctor when you have an issue!

Till later,
Caesar...

Christmas Gifts!

Looking for something for that special person on your list? Z-CoiL Footwear makes an excellent gift for that hard-to-buy for person on your list! Just think of how you can be remembered all year round when they are living a pain-free life. We offer gift certificates in any amount for your purchase.


Does that special person already have enough pairs of Z-CoiL Footwear (although I believe there is never enough)? How about some soft, cushioned Thorlos Socks. Right now we have a special "Buy 3 Get 1 Free" sale on some of the most comfortable socks you have ever had on your feet. They have excellent wicking to keep the moisture away from your feet.











Tired of seeing your loved ones shoe laces untied? A pair of Knoty Boy Laces turn any tie shoe into a slip-on so you never need to tie your shoe again!




















We carry a wide selection of shoe care products including cleaners, brushes, protectants, laces and polish. We also have great shoe cleaning kits that include a brush, polish, mink oil and conditioner.

Who would have thought that a Z-CoiL dealer could be a one-stop-shop for all your Christmas needs!! At least, ones that are practical and that will put a smile on someone's face! What a better gift than a gift of pain relief!

Till later,
Caesar...

Children in Z-CoiLs

We get asked many times in a month if we fit children in Z-CoiL Pain Relief Footwear. The answer is: only if there is a medical necessity for them to wear Z-CoiL Footwear. There are a few reasons for that...

First and foremost, kids tend to use their body before their head! Imagine a young girl jumping rope with Z-CoiL Footwear on. The coil would present a danger to them if they caught the rope in it.

Secondly, children's feet are still growing and Z-CoiL Footwear is an investment expected to last several years. I know that my kids outgrew their shoes every 3-6 months, and that would be very expensive if they were wearing Z-CoiL Footwear.

Last, kids can be intimidated by peer pressure. The first time that someone makes a comment about their shoes being a bit different, they might never wear them again, and we do not want closetware!

Now, that being said, I have many children in Z-CoiL Footwear. We talk to them about the dangers of the open coil, we give them responses to tell their friends if they do have a crude comment, and we will fit them a bit big with extra padding so that they will last longer as they grow. We also talk to their parents and ensure that they understand the risks and the benefits of their child wearing Z-CoiL Footwear.

A few examples of the children we have fit:

• We have a very special customer who has muscular dystrophy. His feet always hurt and he could not participate in PE or other sports with his friends. He drug his toe and wore out shoes very quickly. With the Z-CoiL Footwear, he is no longer in pain, and he can run, jump, and experience the same childhood his friends are!
• We have a young girl who destroyed her feet and knees doing gymnastics from an early age. With her special footwear, she is also living a normal life pain-free.
• Another young boy was born with a congenital issue of the ankles and has always caused him severe pain. Again, Z-CoiL Footwear has allowed him to have a more normal childhood.

The list goes on and we have provided great benefit to many children when they are fitted correctly and the child is educated.

Till later,

Caesar...

What a Hectic Month!

As I had posted, I was out of town for some very intense training for two weeks on my journey to become a pedorthist. I complete the pedorthic training and passed the test for the class! It was 11 days of 8:00AM to 7:30 PM with an hour for lunch with tons of information thrown at us, but I really learned a lot. It will help immensely in understanding people's issues and better fit Z-CoiL's for our customer's problems. I came back home for a couple of days then flew back out to Albuquerque to help out at the International Balloon Fiesta.



Z-CoiL Corporate had a booth there and were selling tons of shoes to people throughout the world! It is great exposure for our innovative product plus if you have never been to the Balloon Fiesta, there is a lot of walking everyday (just to get from the parking lot alone!) plus a huge field where all of the balloons launch from There were 700 balloons representing many different companies. So, here are at least a couple of shots for your enjoyment!





Till later,
Caesar...