Fashion
Tasha Cobbs Leonard Makes Boss Moves With The Athlete’s Foot Franchise Opening
For the (sneaker) culture.
Grammy Award winner Tasha Cobbs Leonard can now add sneaker boss to her growing list of accolades. The gospel singer and her husband Kenneth Leonard recently celebrated the grand opening of their first The Athlete’s Foot (TAF) franchise location in Greenville, S.C.
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Nearly three years in the making, the new opening is part of TAF’s StAART – Strategic African American Retail Track – Program designed to help boost Black-owned retail and entrepreneurship in the footwear industry.
According to Statista, only 5% of sneaker retailers in the U.S. are Black. While sneaker culture is driven by Black culture, they are often boxed out of retail conversations due to a lack of resources and education. This is a major issue, considering the global sneaker market is set to be worth $120B by 2030.
Cobbs Leonard is now one of a handful of Black female sneaker retail store owners in the U.S. and the first female recipient of the program. This is also the first-ever TAF location in Greenville.
“To open a sneaker store in my hometown is a dream come true,” said Cobbs Leonard. “I’m grateful that I have an opportunity to be a leader and an example that Black and Brown girls need in order to believe they can be whatever they want to be.”
Through StARRT, Black entrepreneurs receive resources for location scouting, design, and buildout as well as access to its brand partners and mentorship network.
“The Athlete’s Foot and the StAART Program are proud of Tasha and her new location,” said Darius Billings, Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement at TAF. “We look forward to watching her grow as a franchise owner and are excited to partner with her to elevate sneaker culture in her beloved hometown.”
The specialty footwear and lifestyle retailer is also looking to grow its list of participants — and you don’t have to be a celebrity to get in on the foot action. For more information or to apply, visit www.staart.us.
