Floafers Shoe Store Steps Into Bell Works In Holmdel

HOLMDEL, NJ — You can now shop in person at Floafers at its new Bell Works store.

Floafers are antimicrobial, lightweight foam loafers that "emphasize comfort and versatility," the store spokesperson said in a news release.

Bell Works already houses the company's corporate headquarters. Now it will have a 900-square-foot retail space in the same complex.

The new space will feature custom shelving and lighting fixtures to highlight all 150 variations of Floafers, all of which will be available for sale at the site.

It will also serve as the home of a newly introduced “Test and React” program, which will allow the retail location to dynamically adjust inventory based on sales performance. Four-foot replicas of select Floafers will also be on display.

“When we moved our headquarters to Bell Works in September of 2021 we were instantly captured by the creative and community-oriented atmosphere. We knew immediately that it would be the perfect place for our first retail location,” said Larry Paparo, chief executive officer of Floafers.

“This arrangement will allow us to have a direct line of communication with our customer base and use the feedback we receive through our ‘Test and React’ program to make more informed decisions as we grow our presence nationally.”

Launched in 2017, Floafers is rapidly modernizing the foam footwear market, the news release said. Floafers can be found in department stores nationally and the company also has a flourishing e-commerce presence, the news release said.

Floafers has diversified its product line through collaborations with corporate partners such as Crayola, where they developed a Crayola Silly Scents Floafer that offers a different fragrances for children.

Ralph Zucker, president of Inspired by Somerset Development, the developer behind Bell Works New Jersey, welcomed the new addition.

“Floafers is a fantastic addition to our line-up and I have no doubt they will soon be a staple in Bell Works and the larger community,” he said. Holmdel Mayor Gregory Buontempo also was on hand for the grand opening.

In addition to its corporate partnerships, the foam footwear company also maintains a network of corporate giving initiatives. Floafers’ recent charitable efforts include partnerships with events such as the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Point Pleasant and and Jimmy Johnson’s Quest For the Ring Fishing Competitions, the news release said.

The company also has a corporate sponsorship with Friendship Circle, a nonprofit that provides event and volunteer services to children with disabilities and has sponsored local athletes in New Jersey such as the Manalapan Braves Red, a youth baseball team; John Leonardo, a professional featherweight boxer in Englishtown; and Nick Galanti, a professional MMA fighter from Freehold, the news release said.

To learn more about Floafers, visit its website.

Regarding Bell Works, it was constructed between 1962 and 1964 by modernist architect Eero Saarinen for Bell Labs, the home of prize-winning research and development in communications technology.

Today, the repurposed Bell Works “metroburb”— a metropolis in suburbia— offers a variety of workspace options. Its office community is home to businesses that include Fortune 500 companies and early-stage startups alike, the news release said.

The Bell Works’ indoor pedestrian street, a quarter-mile long atrium known as "The Block at Bell Works," offers a destination featuring a variety of shops, restaurants, healthcare and community services, entertainment and more.

The building has also become a hub for both private events and public activities of all kinds, including networking events and corporate gatherings; fitness classes on the roof deck; a weekly farmers market; lively happy hours with live music; year-round community fundraisers; 5k marathons; and more. Visit Bell Works here.