Special Events/Holidays

We have a special treat in the workshop for this year’s Day of the Dead festivities. Local artist Diana Rose hand painted the leather pieces for a pair of our Merry Jane shoes before they were sewn together. Her artistry features two caballero skeletons outlined in white stitching and decorated with patterns inspired by the […]

Halloween is right around the corner, and that means it’s time again for our annual Halloween contest! It’s simple… have your child draw a picture of his/her costume and our fans will vote for their favorite. The winner will receive a free pair of our design-your-own shoes to match it, shipped in time for Halloween! […]

It’s a familiar story. Fall is here, teachers are readying their classrooms for new faces, and families are preparing for the approaching school year. Backpacks are being stocked with freshly-sharpened pencils, folders are being personalized with bright stickers, and closets and drawers are being gutted and appraised to find the gaps left by the growth, […]

September is upon us, heralding back-to-school milestones for many Soft Star families. In the spirit of the season, we asked our readers to share with us their most memorable learning experiences, and WOW, did you ever deliver!! We were blown away by the outpouring of educational stories, ranging from touching to challenging to hilarious…and everything […]

Believe it or not, it’s been 30 years since Tim and Jeanie Oliver sold their first pair of Softstar shoes in 1985. This is a big anniversary for us, especially at a time when we’re preparing to mark another milestone by moving to a bigger workshop. It’s definitely a far step from the old school […]

We’ve made a lot of fond memories at our cozy Corvallis workshop. So many shoes were designed and built here, several school field trips have come through to see our elves at work and we’ll never forget the time Gwen accidentally set fire to a Phoenix boot (the irony was not lost on us). Unfortunately, […]

We’re commemorating two major historical events, both involving trailblazing into uncharted territory.  On May 14, 1804, Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery embarked on a two and a half-year expedition, from St. Louis, MO, to the Pacific Ocean, and back again. All American school children have heard the story of the two scholar-explorers, the thirty-some […]