Winchester is testing ground for device to keep laces tied
Posted: January 18, 2013
The Winchester Star
WINCHESTER — A new invention intended to keep shoelaces from coming undone is currently making its U.S. debut in Winchester.
LaceLocker is a Velcro snap that securely holds tied shoelaces in place. It is made by Charlottesville-based STASH Sporting Goods, which is headed by Carol Stanley, the registrar at the University of Virginia.
Winchester is the test-launching site for the product, and Runners’ Retreat on the Loudoun Street Mall is the first and currently only retail store in the country to sell it.
STASH consultant Diana Hackney, a 1971 James Wood High School graduate, is processing online product sales from her house in Clear Brook.
“I think it’s applicable for just about anything,” she said of LaceLocker.
Mark Stickley, owner of Runners’ Retreat, said LaceLocker is ideal for children who struggle to keep their shoes tied.
“They like Velcro anyway,” he said. “It’s hard to wean them off it. Now, [with LaceLocker] they have laces plus Velcro.”
The product is also targeted toward runners who need to double and triple-knot their laces.
“It’s the extra bit of insurance to keep them in place,” he said.
Runners’ Retreat began selling the product last week at $9.95, but Stickley said he might start offering it for $7.95 until the end of February. New designs, such as zebra and leopard print and camouflage, will soon be available. Corporations can also advertise on the product.
Hackney has already processed online sales throughout the United States. She will soon launch the product in West Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
The product is manufactured in New York and is heat-welded to ensure longevity.
“It will be a long time before you need a new pair,” Hackney said.
— Contact Rebecca Layne at rlayne@winchesterstar.com