This is not just a clothing item, this is really a medical intervention. It’s like your food. It’s that important, because what you put on a kid’s feet is not just a style thing.
Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, a professor at West Virginia University School of Medicine, experienced in obesity and metabolic illnesses, is a strong proponent of the minimalist footwear movement. The movement, which has been gaining momentum in recent years, stems from the idea that running barefoot or with minimalist footwear is more natural for our body and can reduce the risk of injury. Feeling that his community of Shepherdstown, W. Va., lacked a place that taught people how to properly move and run, Cucuzzella founded Two Rivers Treads, the nation’s first minimalist shoe store. In addition to selling “healthy” footwear, the shop seeks to educate the community on living a healthy, active lifestyle.
Cucuzzella was a competitive runner in college and continues to compete at a national level as a Masters runner, so his passion comes from a place of experience. Visitors to Two Rivers Treads undergo a unique fit and evaluation process through which Cucuzzella and his staff help them understand the way their body moves, and essentially reinvent the way that they run. While the concept goes against what many have been taught for years, he says, “I challenge my students to re-think everything they’ve learned.”
In addition to owning Two Rivers Treads, Cucuzzella works 12-hour shifts at a local hospital and travels to teach courses in the military and to coaches and health care providers once a month. He also directs three local races, which draw a significant amount of tourism to his tiny West Virginia town. He sees it as a way to grow and nurture his community in a way that large corporations aren’t able to, saying that “it brings out a layer of community that no website can provide.”
For Cucuzzella, seeing his employees succeed is the greatest reward. Two have gone on to graduate from physical therapy school, two are at U.S. Military Service Academies, and one is in the running to be a part of the 2016 Olympic steeplechase team.
“I don’t expect younger staff to work in a small running shoe store their whole life. But if you can positively impact a young life, teach them something, and get them motivated to pursue a goal, that’s cool.”
Photos by Nadav Neuhaus