The Athlete's Foot (TAF) is a global retailer of athletic-inspired lifestyle and streetwear, including footwear, apparel and accessories. Its global headquarters are located Stans, Switzerland and US headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
History
In 1971, David Lando realized that athletic shoes were by far the highest selling product in his store. That year, he and his son, Michael Lando, opened the first The Athlete's Foot store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[1] It was the first athletic footwear specialty store of its kind in the United States. Soon thereafter, The Athlete's Foot began expanding in the United States. Among Lando's partners were his brother Robert and Sidney Gilbert of Rochester, New York. The first international franchise store opened in 1976 in Adelaide, Australia, the beginning of The Athlete's Foot expansion across the world.
In 2004, The Athlete's Foot filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and announced that they would close all of their 124 company-owned stores in the United States, leaving the brand with 593 independent franchise locations left.[2]
In 2012, the brand was acquired by Intersport