Klingbeil closing :(

JHarer · December 23, 2011, 12:50:59 PM

I just received an email saying Klingbeil, will no longer be making boots! According to the notice, all orders will need to be placed by 12/31/11.

MadMac · December 23, 2011, 12:59:50 PM

NOOOOOOOOOO, please say it isn't so!!
I just got new boots last month. Was in the shop for over an hour talking with everyone. No one mentioned anything about this.
Oh I'm just so sad.

CrossStroke · December 23, 2011, 01:12:14 PM

Just called them up to confirm - they said they will probably be taking orders till Jan 14th or so.
Waaaaah!

Sk8tmum · December 23, 2011, 02:30:50 PM

Holy crap !!!! Do we know why? I'm not pleased ... Klings have been the best thing ever on my kids feet ...

sarahspins · December 23, 2011, 04:33:19 PM

Bummer! Almost all of the adult skaters at my rink wear Klingbeils (I think due to a strong preference by our former local fitter) and I know this will be very sad news for them!

Sk8tmum · December 23, 2011, 05:15:05 PM

Okay, I currently have 7 skaters and two coaches freaking over this being a possibility, and looking for absolute confirmation that it's true, and the degree of "ending", i.e. is it everything, or just one of stock or custom?

I did e-mail them directly ... but I would think they would be on Christmas shutdown right now, if I remember correctly from previous years? There's nothing on their website at all about it ...

Jenna · December 23, 2011, 06:07:27 PM

This makes me really sad. I love my boots and the thought of having to switch back to SP Teri makes my feet cry. Klingbeil was the only brand that fit right and gave me no pain.

MadMac · December 23, 2011, 08:25:43 PM

I'm concerned for Don and the Klingbeil family/employees. I hope they are all doing ok. They have all been so wonderful & caring over the years -- I do hope all is well.

Sk8tmum · December 23, 2011, 10:04:20 PM

Quote from: MadMac on December 23, 2011, 08:25:43 PM
I'm concerned for Don and the Klingbeil family/employees. I hope they are all doing ok. They have all been so wonderful & caring over the years -- I do hope all is well.

I know ... they are such wonderful people ... and they really care about the skaters they fit. You couldn't ask for nicer folk, and it is a family tradition with them too ...

retired · December 24, 2011, 10:34:41 PM

I'm sad for everyone because there is a strong, passionate fan base for Klingbeils. I had them, destroyed them , bought another strong pair which I still have. Price was always an issue, as well as the distance to the fitter. The only people I knew who wore them were adult skaters with feet problems and coaches (with feet problems, that goes without saying)

Debbie S · December 24, 2011, 11:46:13 PM

Quote from: Jenna on December 23, 2011, 06:07:27 PM
This makes me really sad. I love my boots and the thought of having to switch back to SP Teri makes my feet cry. Klingbeil was the only brand that fit right and gave me no pain.

Ditto. I had been planning to get new Klingbeils this spring/summer (been in my current pair for almost 6 years). Maybe I should hurry up and get the boots now, but it's really not a great time b/c it's been less than a year since my ankle surgery, and there is still a teeny bit of swelling. I wanted to wait until my ankle was 'normal' size to get fitted again. Maybe I should just get the tongues replaced now - that might extend the life of the skates for a bit - and consider getting Harlicks when the time comes. But I since I live on the East Coast, I sure won't be able to go to Harlick in person like I did with Klingbeil.

I feel so sad for the Klingbeil family and their employees. They are such nice people and the service I received from them was always top-notch.

Query · December 25, 2011, 09:23:04 AM

What?

?

Eeks!!!!

Makes no sense. Such short notice, and nothing on their web site. Has someone else bought rights to the name?

So you'd still be able to buy a Klingbeil boot, but it would be exactly like a Reidell, etc.?

Query · December 25, 2011, 09:54:34 AM

MOD NOTE: THIS ENTIRE POST IS A WORK OF FICTION AND SUPPOSITION.
PLEASE DO NOT RELAY ANY PART OF IT AS FACT OR TRUTH.

I've got a free advertising idea for Klingbeil.

The lady who answers the phone should say she "can't" answer the question at this time. But if you order within the next 10 days, you are sure to get a genuine Klingbeil.

How many orders could such a rumor generate? Maybe someone else had the same idea.

Debbie S · December 25, 2011, 02:46:10 PM

Quote from: Query on December 25, 2011, 09:23:04 AM
Makes no sense. Such short notice, and nothing on their web site. Has someone else bought rights to the name?

So you'd still be able to buy a Klingbeil boot, but it would be exactly like a Reidell, etc.?

I think if they sold their company, that would be the official word. File that under "duh". I assume they are closing b/c there is less of a demand for skates, esp custom ones, and their operating expenses have been increasing, to the point where they are no longer making enough money to stay in business. Something called the recession - perhaps you have heard of it?

QuoteThe lady who answers the phone should say she "can't" answer the question at this time. But if you order within the next 10 days, you are sure to get a genuine Klingbeil.

How many orders could such a rumor generate? Maybe someone else had the same idea.

I don't suppose you have any clue as to how thoughtless your post sounds? If you were trying to be funny, you missed. A longtime business is closing and people are losing their jobs.

rosereedy · December 25, 2011, 04:41:39 PM

This makes me sad. I was planning on getting new boots soon. I could but what if the boots need servicing or need tweeks before I could skate on them. My coach is friends with Don. She hadn't heard nothing. Could someone be so kind as to send me a copy of the email so I can show my coach?

icedancer · December 25, 2011, 05:01:32 PM

Quote from: roseyhebert on December 25, 2011, 04:41:39 PM
This makes me sad. I was planning on getting new boots soon. I could but what if the boots need servicing or need tweeks before I could skate on them.

I was thinking the same thing - I have never tried Klingbeils but have always thought that I might order some "some day" - especially as I pretty much have never liked my current boots - but now seems too late to order a new pair...

I have seen on other boards that people are planning to order boots now - so I am guessing that this will keep them busy for a little while after that January 7th deadline for ordering (which is what I read on another board) -

My husband and I were talking about the overhead for custom boots, wondering what the profit margin is, etc. - plus the cost of the employees, materials, website, building to house them in, etc.

It would be cool if they could somehow pare down by not having a "place" to go to (maybe do house-calls like I do with my business - the overhead is very very low!) - or if someone else would start making the boots and keep the basic foundations of the ideas behind their boots, materials, etc. OR they could just charge more for the boots... anyway, I am sure they have been through this - just putting my thoughts out there...

rosereedy · December 25, 2011, 05:07:09 PM

Quote from: icedancer2 on December 25, 2011, 05:01:32 PM
I was thinking the same thing - I have never tried Klingbeils but have always thought that I might order some "some day" - especially as I pretty much have never liked my current boots - but now seems too late to order a new pair...

I have seen on other boards that people are planning to order boots now - so I am guessing that this will keep them busy for a little while after that January 7th deadline for ordering (which is what I read on another board) -

My husband and I were talking about the overhead for custom boots, wondering what the profit margin is, etc. - plus the cost of the employees, materials, website, building to house them in, etc.

It would be cool if they could somehow pare down by not having a "place" to go to (maybe do house-calls like I do with my business - the overhead is very very low!) - or if someone else would start making the boots and keep the basic foundations of the ideas behind their boots, materials, etc. OR they could just charge more for the boots... anyway, I am sure they have been through this - just putting my thoughts out there...

I have klings now and love them. I worry if I order a pair now they could be a rush job and not be any good. I thought about going to Jacksons but not sure about them. I could go back to SP Teri but they weren't my favs. They were very hard inside. I am so sad. The Facebook page of everything figure skating said they were going to try to find out more info.

JHarer · December 25, 2011, 05:26:00 PM

I'd be happy to copy and paste the email here as soon as I am home and have access to my computer. For some reason I have trouble with copy & pasting on my phone.

sarahspins · December 25, 2011, 06:51:07 PM

Quote from: Debbie S on December 25, 2011, 02:46:10 PM
I don't suppose you have any clue as to how thoughtless your post sounds? If you were trying to be funny, you missed. A longtime business is closing and people are losing their jobs.

I don't think that was her intent at all, but rather a suspicion that the company brand/name/rights/pattern/etc has been sold. Perhaps this doesn't mean an end the the Klingbeil line exactly, but an end of control by the Klingbeil family, which could the comment that only orders in the next 10 days would be "genuine" Klings... I would hope that if the company was sold, that all existing employees could continue to be employed if they wished to be (this happened recently with our small town internet company - no one actually lost any jobs, even the former owner, as odd as that sounds).

Debbie S · December 25, 2011, 07:26:20 PM

Quote from: sarahspins on December 25, 2011, 06:51:07 PM
Perhaps this doesn't mean an end the the Klingbeil line exactly, but an end of control by the Klingbeil family, which could the comment that only orders in the next 10 days would be "genuine" Klings...

The "comment" was not an actual comment made by anyone at the company but something query made up to sound cute (and I think query is a "he"). I know his posts are difficult to understand, but that's how I read it. And I think throwing out garbage like that is rude and insulting to the posters here.

There is no indication that the company has been sold to a new owner. The company has stated that they are going out of business. I hope Don and the other employees can find new jobs quickly.

AgnesNitt · December 25, 2011, 08:00:42 PM

I always wanted to get a pair of Klingbeils after my disaster with Harlicks. Now I guess I'm a Jackson girl forever.

sarahspins · December 25, 2011, 10:20:22 PM

Quote from: Debbie S on December 25, 2011, 07:26:20 PM
There is no indication that the company has been sold to a new owner.

Okay, well I apologize, the thread was/is a little difficult to follow reading on my phone.

Sk8Dreams · December 25, 2011, 10:40:15 PM

Assuming it is true that they are going out of business, I'm worried about Don. He wasn't at the PSA/ISA Conference Trade Show this year. I hope it is not a health issue. I felt very disloyal trying a different boot, and was toying with the idea of going back to Klings next year. I'm still hoping this is not true. No one ever provided such incredible customer service.

Sk8tmum · December 25, 2011, 11:39:14 PM

I wish we knew more about the whys, and if everyone there is okay. They were the kindest, most considerate and accomodating people that we'd met in years in the skating world. The little things they did - including adding in features on my kid's boots, at no charge of course, to accomodate some unique challenges ... and the followup. Plus, welcoming us into the actual storefront, and chatting about all things skate related ... it does seem an end of a bit of history. I've heard from people who were Knebli users "back in the day" who still discuss those boots with fondness and a wish that they had continued ...

I've been on GoldenSkate, and bounced around FSU a bit, but, haven't seen any discussion about the closing.

Isk8NYC · December 26, 2011, 01:00:26 AM

I'm a little out of the loop with the good folks at Klingbeil, but the family has been through the wringer over the past ten years with work and health issues, yet they continued to provide great service and a quality product. It's entirely possible that they just want to retire and have no "heir apparent" to pass the business along to - succession planning is so crucial for small businesses, but sometimes, there's no one to take over the reins.

I wish them all good luck and health. They've certainly earned the right to retire and (Don especially) deserves to play more golf after dealing with feet for years.

Wonder what will happen with all that memorabilia in the shop, and the fitting chair?

I have a pair of boots that need repairs, so I'll probably ship them back sooner, rather than later. I had wanted to get over to Queens when I was in the area earlier this month, but the timing just didn't work out.

I don't think you'll see much discussion on the other message boards - they're more devoted to the spectator side of skating than the athlete's side.

News:

Klingbeil closing :(