Make Your Feet and Your Heart Happy With Paxx
A locally owned business brings South American style shoes and apparel that are just right for anyone this holiday season.
After spending several years in South America, his wife’s home continent, John Orr and his family returned to Columbus to settle down. Deeply impacted by his time in Chile and Peru, John felt drawn to the area’s culture and style, so he brought some remnants of the countries back with him.
“The culture is so different there,” John recalls. “The vibe is just so relaxed.”
During his time in South America, John and his family enjoyed spending time at local markets. At a market in Peru, John picked up a pair of shoes that intrigued him. Brightly colored in Peruvian tribal patterns, the shoes were “Like nothing I had seen before,” John says. Comfortable and durable, they ended up becoming John’s go-to pair of shoes for a year. “I walked all over the desert with them, wore them in warehouse work, and traveled all over the place in them,” John remembers. Little did he know that a pair of shoes he picked up at a market in Peru would change his life.
After returning to the states, John realized that he was going to have to find a creative way to provide for his family. “I knew I needed to open a door I’ve never opened before,” John says. “One day, I looked down at my shoes and thought, ‘I need to bring these shoes to North America.’”
John spent some time working on the logistics of opening a shoe business, but he knew from the start he wanted to run his business with integrity from suppliers. After searching for the right manufacturer, John connected with a family in Peru, and everything came together as he launched his company, Paxx Shoes, in 2019.
John takes pride in the fact that he personally knows and works with the family that makes the shoes he sells. “Paxx shoes aren’t made by some faceless corporation that only cares about dollar signs,” John explains. “They’re made by a family in Peru that has been making footwear for generations. We’re the only North American company bringing these designs and colors in.”
Paxx shoes are made with a Peruvian pima cotton liner – incredibly soft inside, while durable and made to last on the outside. One-of-a-kind designs feature the traditional bright colors and tribal patterns, and come in lace-ups and slip-ons. The shoes are casual, comfortable, and versatile. Men’s and women’s styles are available, in sizes 6-10 for men and 4-9 for women.
True to the origin of their inspiration, Paxx shoes are sold at markets in the area, as well as on their website, paxxshoes.com. John will be at several upcoming events with a Paxx Shoes booth, and Paxx Shoes is hosting a market at Corta, the tennis court pavilion at Cooper Creek Park on November 19. The market will feature local vendors selling handmade goods and food, as well as a health and wellness program put on by Corta.
In addition, John will be at the Columbus Biz Pitch, a startup pitch competition with StartUP Columbus, on November 16. The competition will take place in the Cunningham Center, and while his products won’t be available for purchase, they will be on display for anyone who wants to see them in person.
As John looks forward to the future for Paxx Shoes, he can’t help but feel proud of all he and his family have accomplished, thanks to a pair of shoes he came across in Peru that inspired him to think big. Most of all, he hopes to inspire others to make purchases they can feel good about, and his business offers the community the chance to do just that. “I want people to feel good when they wear them and know they’re part of the close-knit Paxx Family,” John says.
To purchase your own pair of Peruvian hand-made Paxx shoes, visit paxxshoes.com.
By Natalie Downey