Buying barefoot shoes is still largely an online affair. But as the niche grows, more barefoot shoes are being sold in store. Check this list of barefoot shoes stores to see if there is are any options near you!
Upon learning about barefoot shoes, you were probably excited to buy your first pair! But you likely quickly realized that it meant navigating how to buy barefoot shoes online. How you had the challenge of finding the perfect without trying on a single pair.
With so many considerations – including foot length, width, volume, shape – layered with your own personal history and preferences and compounded by the size variations between brands and styles, picking a pair of barefoot shoes online can feel like a complete gamble. (But on that note, you’re going to want to get an accurate foot measurement before you start shopping.)
It can take some trial and error, which is why I try to make the reviews here on the Barefoot Shoe Guide as detailed as possible when it comes to fit and sizing. Using these guides, my hope is that it feels more like making an educated decision versus a complete shot in the dark.
But, all the advice I can offer still can’t replace the experience of trying a pair of barefoot shoes on in person. Two people with extremely similar feet could still opt for different sizes among the same brand or go for different styles simply based on the personal preference of how they like their shoes to fit.
Though the landscape of barefoot shoe retail remains primarily online, there are a handful of brick-and-mortar stores that sell barefoot shoes. If you’ve ever typed in “Barefoot Shoe Stores Near Me” on Google, it unfortunately didn’t drop a bunch of pins on the map for an easy day of barefoot shoe shopping.
But while there aren’t many, there are some. Here’s a comprehensive list of stores that sell barefoot shoes where you can try them on in-person.
Brick-and-Mortar Barefoot Shoe Stores
I’ve noted the names of the barefoot shoes stores along with links to their websites. I’ve also included whether they are a third party retailer that sells many different brands (which may include non-barefoot shoes too), or a brand store/showroom.
USA
Foot Rx | Asheville, NC | Retailer
Lems | Sold in a number of different retailers. Use the “Find it Locally” feature on each Lems product page to find a retailer near you
LUNA Sandals Factory Outlet | Wenatchee, Washington | Luna Sandals also sells through a number of outdoor retailers. Us the retailer map on their website to see a list.
Pie Footwear | Portland, OR | Retailer
REI | Outdoor retailer located throughout the US | Sells Xero Shoes, Altras and Vivobarefoot
Shamma Sandals | Sold in a number of different retailers. Check out their store located page for an up-to-date list of places to try Shamma Sandals on in-store.
Sierra | Discount Retailer located throughout the US | Vivobarefoot and Be Lenka boots have been found both online and in-store. Sierra is owned by the same parent company as other discount retailers TJMaxx and Marshalls.
SoftStar Shoes | Philomath, OR | Brand Show Room
Two River Treads | Ranson, WV | Retailer
Tip Toe Joey | Kid’s barefoot shoe brand based in Brazil. Several children’s boutiques across the US carry this brand.
Tip Top Shoes | New York, NY | Carries Vibram FiveFingers and Lems along with traditional footwear
Vince’s Family Shoes | Middlesex, PA | Retailer that carries Lems, Xeros and Altras along with traditional footwear
Wildling Shoes | San Francisco, CA | Temporary Brand Pop-up
Xero Shoes | Denver, CO | Brand Show Room
Canada
Cool East Market | Toronto, ON | Retailer
Distance Runwear | Vancouver, BC | Retailer
Sole Freedom (The Foot Collective) | Ottawa, ON | Retailer
Ten Toe’n | Dundas, ON | Retailer that carries Lems, Topo Athletic, and Altras along with traditional Footwear | Shipping also available
UK
Vivobarefoot Concept Store | London
Europe
Barefoot Point | Hungary | Retailer
Barefoot in Berlin | Berlin, Germany |Retailer selling Vivobrefoot, Groundies, Be Lenka and Shamma Sandals
Barefoot Austria | Sankt Andrä-Wördern, Austria | Appointment only. Warehouse store where you can try on a variety of brand. Located about an hour outside of Vienna.
Barefoot You | Stories located in Barcelona and Madrid, Spain
BeLenka Barefoot Store Plan Be | Bratislava and Žilina, Slovakia | Brand Store
Bohempia | Prague, Czechia | Brand Showroom
Larouco Shoes | Portugalete, Spain | Retailer that carries brands including Vivobarefoot, Xero Sheoes, Altra, Magical Shoes, Koel and more
NaBOSo | Prague, Brno, Zlín and Beroune, Czechia
Natural Movement | Finland
Mugavik | Tallinn and Tartu, Estonia | Brands including Be Lenka, Peerko, Mukishoes, Groundies and more
VIBE Store in OC Central | Bratislava, Sovakia | Sells Shapen Shoes
SHAPEN Store | Bratislava, Slovakia
Schuhe wie Barfuss | Vienna, Austria
Shuz | Lisbon, Portugal
Vivobarefoot Concept Stories and Retailers | There are a large number of Vivobarefoot concept stores and third party retailers located throughout Europe. For a complete list, see the Vivobarefoot website.
Wildling | Berlin, Cologne and Engelskirchen, Germany | Brand Showroom or Warehouse store
5dedos, The Minimal Factory | Jaca, Spain
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When will there be more barefoot shoe stores?
A: That’s a great question, and something I’m sure many of us would love to know. As hard as shoes are to buy and sell online, it’s still can be even more difficult to make the economics of a brick and mortar location work when most people passing by still likely haven’t heard of barefoot shoes. I do see more companies opening up showrooms, which is a good start. Since I’ve started this list, I have been adding to it more and more regularly as barefoot shoes have been growing in popularity.
Q: Is there a barefoot shoe store in New York City?
A: Unfortunately no, there is not a dedicated barefoot shoe store in NYC. Tip Top Shoes is an authorized retailer for Lems, so they may have some models in their NYC store.
Have you visited a barefoot shoe store? Tell us about your experience in the comments! And if you know of any barefoot shoe shops not included on this list, please share!
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