Northwest couple looking for foothold in golf sandal market

Put Some BLING in Your Swing

When Rachel Yinger decided she wanted a pair of sandals to wear on the golf course, she found that ladies sandals weren’t easy to come by. In fact, much of what she had to choose from were really just men’s sandals scaled to fit a smaller foot. >

They were barely functional, and far from fashionable.

“We looked all over for women’s golf sandals online that were decently attractive and we just couldn’t find anything,” said Rachel. That’s when she and her husband, Eric, decided that they’d found a niche in the golf market. They’re hoping to fill that niche with Sweet Sandals.

Eric, who has a passion for business and manufacturing, knew he had overseas contacts who could help with construction and design of the new footwear. That lead the couple to take a trip to China to inspect plants, talk with manufacturers, and really get a feel for what goes into making a sandal from start to finish.

“We learned a lot,” said Eric. “We reached out to companies making attractive looking sandal designs and then found suppliers who were making soles and we were able to put all the pieces together for a really comfortable sandal that our customers are wearing on and off the course.”

Sweet Sandals started with online-only sales, sending their first pair of sandals to the United Kingdom. Since that initial sale, the Yingers have been working hard to find more retail locations and are starting to get some real traction. Sweet Sandals are currently available in golf shops in Palm Springs, Washington, Pennsylvania, and Australia.

“We definitely want to expand, and the reviews we get from everyone who’s tried them has loved them. I think you’ll see them in more shops this year,” added Rachel.

All five styles of sandals are available on the company’s website: www.sweetsandals.golf.