Story

The heritage of Telic Footwear spans over a century, beginning with co-founder Rocco Azzarito’s grandfather, Francisco Azzarito. Born in the small southern Italian town of Sant’Agata di Puglia, Francisco grew up as the son of a shoe cobbler. Though he followed in his father's footsteps, he harbored a dream of his own: to build footwear in America.

In the spring of 1920, at just sixteen years old, Francisco arrived on Ellis Island with little more than hope and ambition. Settling in Brooklyn, NY, he adopted the name Frank to better fit into his new American life. After working various jobs, Frank eventually found his way to the I. Miller Shoe Company, where his skills and dedication propelled him to the role of factory foreman.

“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