Story

The true heritage of Telic dates back over a century ago to co-founder Rocco Azzarito’s grandfather Francisco Azzarito. Born in the small southern Italian town of Sant’Agata Di Puglia, Francisco was the son of a shoe cobbler, and although he followed in his father’s trade, he always dreamed of building footwear in America. Francisco landed on Ellis Island in the spring of 1920 when he was just sixteen years old. With no knowledge of the language or culture he settled in Brooklyn, NY. There, he changed his name to Frank because he wanted to be a “real” American. Frank pursued several jobs until he finally began making shoes at the I. Miller Shoe Company and eventually became the foreman of the factory.

“My Grandfather, Frank Azzarito, is truly the spirit that has moved us to rekindle the dream that together we can build great, healthy, and affordable footwear in America and worldwide.” -- Rocco Azzarito, Co-Founder & CEO

“At Dartmouth after hard workouts and long runs (when it was not too cold), we would take our shoes off and jog or walk barefoot in the grass to help our bodies recover. I often wondered if a shoe could mimic this amazing feeling of being barefoot with a supportive shock absorbing propulsion under the foot. Little did I know at the time, this feeling was the birth of Telic Footwear.”
-- Terry Stillman, Co-Founder & CEO