Meet Bart Walker of Jack Grace USA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bart Walker.

Bart Walker never meant to start a shoe company. In fact, he often refers to himself as “an accidental entrepreneur!”

Bart has always had a passion for shoes. As a kid, he remembers being so thrilled to get a new pair of sneakers he would place them (one laterally and one pointing at me) in front of his bed so he could stare them as he fell asleep at night. Bart would study what details set each shoe apart from the others, which color combinations were best, and what improvements he would make.

As an adult, his love of shoes only grew. Bart would often be caught staring at and recognizing people by their shoes. But even with this strong passion, he never expected shoe design to be his destiny. In fact, he was a banker by trade.

Bart is also a golfer. A golfer, who, like many golfers, cared about his appearance on the golf course. And as a shoe guy, his golf shoes particularly mattered. He wanted shoes to coordinate with his clothes. He wanted shoes that would be comfortable. He wanted shoes that wouldn’t break the bank. You can imagine his frustration when he couldn’t find any cool golf shoes… anywhere. So, that’s when he decided to do something about it.

The first shoe was built on his kitchen table with his wife’s kitchen shears and a handful of old golf shoes he found at second-hand stores. Bart spent endless nights and weekends figuring out how to create one shoe that fits all of his criteria. He was determined to figure it out.

After the concept of the interchangeable saddle was proven to work, Bart set out to make one pair of golf shoes for himself to wear on the course. He found a talented cobbler in a strip mall to help him with the details. Bart shared his prototype with friends who loved the concept and encouraged him to make more. So, after quitting his banking job, taking out his 401K and with the help of industry professionals, he created the Innovator 1.0.

He’s proud of his golf shoes. So proud, he named the company after his two children.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
This entire journey has been riddled with challenges! When Bart first drew his ideas down on a napkin, many people told him interchangeable saddles would never work. They were concerned that the velcro would make noise or the laces wouldn’t actually tighten the shoe. But, after creating the initial prototype, he proved them wrong.

When he wanted to have some shoes made with his technology, he was told he wouldn’t be able to find a factory in Asia who would take him seriously. So, he found some industry vets with decades of experience in footwear and with established relationships with factories to help his idea come to life.

When he was told it would cost 100’s of thousands of dollars to set-up tooling, manufacture and order product, Bart hustled and got enough investment money to get the shoes & saddles delivered. He did this three separate times to get new inventory/advance the brand.

When a company wanted $5,000 to draw a shoe box mock-up, Bart decided he could design one himself. After dozens of craft and electronic store visits, lots of cut up boxes on the kitchen table, and tremendous dedication, Bart completely designed the shoe and saddle boxes we have today.

When Bart decided to invest in a way to print directly onto saddles, researched and tested dozens of methods until he found the exact recipe that would allow for a long print life as well as provide UV stability.

When there was concern that a small start-up could never compete with the well-known brands, Bart has proven that our customers love Jack Grace golf shoes and give the most glowing reviews. Each challenge has made Bart/Jack Grace better and he wouldn’t trade the hard-times for anything.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Jack Grace USA – what should we know?
Jack Grace is a premium golf shoe company utilizing our patent-pending hidden channel technology to change the color of your shoe. A customer can swap his saddles (the interchangeable component) in less than 1 minute for both shoes and it’s completely inconspicuous. And, the laces really do tighten the shoes.

We also offer custom printing. which allows for interchangeable saddles for holiday, promotional, corporate, charity or anything a customer can imagine. Not only are our shoes customizable, but we are able to offer this customization with about a 48 hour turnaround time. You can order a custom saddle on Monday and it will be shipped out Tuesday.

Finally, our shoes are made from quality materials and they are very comfortable, too!

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Bart gives credit to everyone who has supported him along the way… This includes his wife, the investors, and the friends who have always believed in him. He also couldn’t have made it this far without his team: Erinn (wife), Brad, Noah, Michael, Tyler, Kyle, Matt, SIXTYGRAND, and everyone else who has contributed along the way.

Erinn: Barts’ wife, has been supportive along the entire journey and keeps things running smoothly at home and also helps with the books, customer support and marketing.

Brad: COO, When Bart starts sharing all of the ideas he has, Brad is the guy who helps make those thoughts happen. He makes sure we can “get it done.”

Noah: The first employee of Jack Grace (besides Bart & Erinn), Noah has been the go-to guy for shipping, printing on saddles, and creating designs. He also assists with tournaments and anything else needed.

Michael: Graphic Designer, Michael is a talented designer who has helped create the website, social media posts, print assets, and renderings for Jack Grace.

Tyler: Sales, Tyler works to establish relationships with golf clubs to set-up retail in their pro shop and/ or bulk sales opportunities (member guests, etc)

Kyle: Jr Graphic Designer. Kyle works with Michael on photo edits and various other design projects.

Matt: Sales, Works with Tyler to sell into “big” opportunities.

SIXTYGRAND: Videographers who make us look good!

Pricing:

• Innovator 1.0 Shoes $160.00
• Interchangeable Saddles- Solid $30.00
• Interchangeable Saddles- Pattern $40.00
• Hats $30.00
• Laces $5.00

Contact Info:

• Address: 3961 E. Chandler Blv Suite 111-220
• Website: www.jackgraceusa.com
• Phone: 4802217503
• Email: erinn@jackgraceusa.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jackgraceusa
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/jackgraceusa
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/jackgraceusa

Image Credit:
katyz photography (sharks& state 48), Ivy Studios (family & staff)

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