Carl Brandt didn’t open Movin’ Shoes with fellow Wisconsin transplant Rick Vandertie in 1977 in pursuit of a fortune. In a world shaken by the Vietnam War, Watergate, and the Arab Oil Embargo, they were among countless Baby Boomers searching for meaning amidst corruption and deceit. There had to be something more to life than a boring, steady job with a steady, but lifeless paycheck every two weeks.

Carl’s search led him from his boyhood home of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to San Diego five years after graduating from the University of Wisconsin/Green Bay in 1972. There, in the outdoor mecca of southern California, Carl found what many were searching for — the sweet spot between commerce and passion, turning his avocation into his vocation.

After playing tennis and wrestling in school, Carl took to distance running and racing, but not to the rat race. Instead, he and Rick began selling running shoes out of the back of their cars at local races before opening Movin’ Shoes on Mission Boulevard in Mission Beach in 1977—coincidentally, the same year Bill Rodgers opened his first Bill Rodgers Running Center in Boston as a new industry emerged to service the new acolytes of the Running Boom.

Though tiny in square footage, Movin’ Shoes made up for size with service and heart. In San Diego’s vibrant running community, Movin’ Shoes was more than a shop—it was a heartbeat. Runners of all kinds found not just gear, but encouragement, training partners, race entry forms, and care. Carl never made a million dollars, but along the way, he made a million connections and hundreds of friends.

One story stands out: a young runner walked into Movin’ Shoes, eyes fixed on a pair of new Nike trainers he couldn’t afford. Carl, with his quiet intuition, saw the yearning in that young man’s face. “Don’t worry,” he said, sending him off with those prized $50 Nikes for just $35, including tax. “We’ll work something out.” That was Carl—always working it out, always choosing kindness over profit.

Carl was especially passionate about supporting high school cross country and track teams.

“I remember him and Rick coming to San Diego High School to fit our track team for shoes,” recalled Meb Keflezighi, San Diego’s most famous and decorated runner, and dear friend of Carl’s. “Two weeks later, we’d get our spikes or trainers. He brought people together. The history of San Diego running was in his store.”

Carl’s life philosophy, so perfectly captured at his son Noah’s wedding, was simple yet profound: “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”

Carl lived those words every day, raising two sons, Noah and Peter, and sharing 25 years of happiness with his wife, Sue, before her passing in July 2012.

“I remember going into Movin’ Shoes as the Saucony rep for two years before Carl ever gave me an order,” said Mike Reilly, who went on to fame as the iconic finish line announcer at the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii. “But they were just the nicest people.” When Mike finally got his first order for 12 pairs, he felt on top of the world.

Carl’s influence stretched far beyond San Diego. For years, he and I would meet at Lindbergh Airport to catch early morning flights to the Boston and New York City Marathons. While I went to broadcast the races, Carl attended the expos, doing business with the same warmth and empathy that made him universally loved in the sport. Runners and industry folks alike felt his genuine care, a reflection of the teacher’s spirit he carried from his Wisconsin roots, where he first worked in early childhood education.

“He was like the mayor of Boston on marathon weekend,” recalled Paul Greer, longtime president of the San Diego Track Club. “Everyone knew him at the Boston expo. The last months of his life were like The Merv Griffin Talk Show. Special guest after special guest would drop by to visit him at his home in La Mesa.”

“Running was his life, in many ways,” reflected Meb Keflezighi. “He was a fan, a supporter, a shoe store owner, and a passionate advocate. I’m glad Carl knew how well loved he was.”

At his memorial service, Carl’s sister-in-law, Karen Schroeder, summed up his essence in one word: community. It was a fitting tribute to a man defined by connection, empathy, and a deep love for running.

The San Diego Track Club honored Carl the month before his passing by creating the Carl Brandt Iron Dog Award, given to any runner who completes each event in the club’s annual Dirt Dog Cross Country Series.

“No one better represents the spirit of dedication and love of the sport than Carl,” said SDTC president Paul Greer upon announcing the award.

Carl Brandt can’t be replaced, and he won’t be forgotten. His legacy runs on—in the trails, tracks, and streets of San Diego, in the hearts of the countless friends he made, and in the enduring spirit of Movin’ Shoes—carried forward by Milestone Running at the old Movin’ Shoes Pacific Beach location and North Park.

In a world where he could have been anything, Carl Brandt chose to be kind. And that made all the difference.

Carl Richard Brandt, of La Mesa, California, passed away peacefully at home with family by his side on Sunday, August 24, 2025, after a long battle with cancer. He is survived by his two sons, Noah and Peter, and his brother, Dale.
END