Kizik Launches Pop-Up Tour To Drive Hands-Free Footwear Expansion

Kizik, the rapidly growing hands-free footwear brand known for its innovative step-in shoe technology, is launching a major new retail initiative this July called the Kizik Try-On Tour. The experiential, data-driven pop-up series will make stops in eight key U.S. cities, including NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, Denver, Los Angeles, and two locations in Salt Lake City. It will mark a significant milestone in Kizik’s evolution from a direct-to-consumer (DTC) favorite into an omnichannel powerhouse.

Founded on the premise of revolutionizing shoe wearability through its patented hands-free technology, Kizik’s products allow wearers to step effortlessly into their shoes without bending or touching the footwear. Initially gaining popularity online, the Utah-based brand has expanded into physical retail with six existing stores and plans to open a seventh location at Tyson’s Corner, VA, in August. This tour underscores the brand’s commitment to leveraging experiential retail to enhance customer engagement and accelerate growth.

“The idea for the Kizik Try-On Tour came from our desire to celebrate the ‘aha’ moment, which is the experience when you step into a pair of Kizik shoes for the first time, explains Elizabeth Drori, Kizik CMO. “Our six retail store locations see an impressive 75% conversion rate following a try-on. The Try-On Tour brings that powerful experience to key markets in a memorable, mobile format.”

Inside The Kizik Try-On Tour

Each pop-up stop on the Kizik Try-On Tour is designed to maximize consumer interaction through immersive experiences paired with sophisticated data capture methods. The 24-hour-only activations, hosted at high-traffic locations such as Brookfield Place in New York City and the iconic Santa Monica Pier, will offer guided product walk-throughs, digital customization opportunities, and gamified challenges. Attendees will also receive incentives, such as stacked rewards and personalized follow-up communications, designed to convert initial interest into long-term brand loyalty.

“Our retail stores offer a great customer experience, but the tour adds a layer of energy and novelty. Drori notes. “It creates a unique sense of urgency and shareability that you can’t always find at traditional retail.”

To maximize impact, Kizik selected the eight cities based on a strategic combination of direct-to-consumer sales penetration, existing retail and wholesale presence, and core audience demographics, with primarily adults aged 30-60 who identify with an “Everyday Adventurer” lifestyle. Cities include strategic locations with substantial market penetration, such as Washington, D.C., where the brand sees significant growth potential and is preparing to launch a new permanent store. Each pop-up event is meticulously engineered to provide not only memorable consumer experiences but also gather crucial data, enabling Kizik to better understand market readiness for future investments.

Data collection is a core component of the Try-On Tour, blending real-time analytics with customer feedback. Through tools such as unique discount codes and digital surveys, Kizik aims to capture metrics on trial volumes, event attendance, and post-event conversion rates. Qualitative data will also be gathered to gauge consumer brand awareness, perception, and purchase intent. “The learnings from this campaign will help us identify which markets are primed for deeper investment, whether that’s retail or wholesale expansion, tailored marketing campaigns, or additional experiential activations,” stated Drori.

Kizik’s Future In Retail

The Try-On Tour represents more than a temporary marketing campaign; it signals Kizik’s ongoing commitment to omnichannel growth. While digital sales remain robust, the brand increasingly views physical interactions as pivotal opportunities to demonstrate its innovative footwear technology to new audiences.

“While there are no concrete plans to reposition or expand our retail stores as a direct result of the tour, we will take learnings from the tour and use them to improve the customer experience across all relevant channels,” explains Drori. The brand aims to leverage the valuable insights gathered from the Try-On Tour to inform future initiatives, potentially shaping store experiences, digital marketing strategies, and product development. The focus remains on deepening customer engagement by continually refining and enhancing the unique aspects of their retail and online interactions.

In a broader industry context, Kizik’s innovative approach to physical retail mirrors a growing trend among brands like Warby Parker, which began its growth by testing various retail formats. Lululemon, a more established brand, is still known for various activations across the country and pop-ups in new markets. More recently, Faherty, a growing clothing brand, has expanded into hospitality to showcase the brand further and build awareness. All these companies have successfully leveraged experiential, mobile, and data-driven retail strategies to transition from digital storefronts to robust omnichannel businesses.

Kizik’s bold national pop-up tour reinforces this trajectory, underscoring the evolving role of physical retail not merely as static sales points but as dynamic, flexible experiences that drive consumer connection, brand awareness, and ultimately, sustained growth.