To prevent students from walking out with its bowling shoes, the Reitz Union Game Room is offering a fashionable pair for sale. But now it can't get the shoes off the shelves.
Charlotte Dare, game room manager, said no one has bought the shoes so far.
The Eye Catchers shoes were meant to be a fashion statement and not meant for bowling, Dare said.
Dare said she had heard rumors of people stealing bowling shoes to wear out, so it seemed like a good idea to try selling fashion-only bowling shoes.
The shoes cost $39.99 a pair, but Dare said she is considering a price reduction.
Dare said she and some of her employees were given a pair of the shoes to try for free. The trial period began in May and will last through December, so it doesn't cost UF anything to sell the shoes.
In the meantime, Dare said she wants to begin advertising the shoes more.
Although the shoes' design is fashion-based, feedback from various UF students in the game room stated otherwise.
One student said the color scheme was atrocious. Another said the shoe is not pleasing to the eye.
Dare said she tried to get the shoes to come in an orange and blue color scheme, but as of now they come in blue and yellow, plum and brown, hot pink and green, and hot pink and yellow.
The shoes can't be used for bowling because the heel would mar the approach to the lane. Also, the bottom of the shoe is not slippery, which could create a hazard for bowlers, Dare said.
Zarana Upadhyay, a Reitz Union game room employee, said the shoes would be more appealing if they could be worn while bowling.
The shoes should also be available in more neutral color combinations so they could be easily matched with clothing, Upadhyay added.
Although Dare agreed some of the color combinations of the shoes are not the most flattering, she said the shoes are surprisingly comfortable.
