The Book of Eastbay Two Friends and the Catalog That Changed the Sneaker Business Forever
Sneakers are a $100 billion business and a global obsession that started in the pages of a catalog called Eastbay.
The Story Behind the Catalog That Changed Sports Culture
- Two friends
- $4000 worth of track shoes
- An AMC Gremlin
- And a single idea: Sell the best shoes in the world directly to athletes.
What started with a few pairs of track shoes in the back of a car became Eastbay - the most iconic athletic catalog ever created.
For millions of kids in the 80's and 90's and beyond, the Eastbay catalog wasn't just mail. It was a dream book.
The place where kids who played sports, and future sneakerheads discovered the shoes their heroes wore.
- Before the internet
- Before e-commerce
- Before sneaker culture exploded
Eastbay was already there.
Welcome back. If an Eastbay catalog ever showed up in your mailbox, you're already part of this story.
This Book Is Three Stories In One
Two small-town entrepreneurs who built a revolutionary mail-order business that reached millions of athletes.
The growth of the Athletic Industry and the Eastbay catalog that helped ignite the modern obsession with sneakers, sport and identity.
The lifelong bond between Art Juedes and Rick Gering - born two days apart - who built something far bigger than a company.
Eastbay wasn't just a business.
It was a movement that told generations of athletes to Dream Big Dream Often.
This is the story behind the catalog that changed sports culture and inspired a generation of athletes.
All profits from the book will go to charity. One of those charities is The Little Warriors Foundation that was set up to find a cure for children’s cancer, with a special focus on Ewings Sarcoma. Most of us measure winning by who scores the most points, these amazing kids measure winning just by playing the game.
Welcome back. If an Eastbay catalog ever showed up in your mailbox, you're already part of this story.
This Book Is Three Stories In One
Two small-town entrepreneurs who built a revolutionary mail-order business that reached millions of athletes.
The growth of the Athletic Industry and the Eastbay catalog that helped ignite the modern obsession with sneakers, sport and identity.
The lifelong bond between Art Juedes and Rick Gering - born two days apart - who built something far bigger than a company.
Eastbay wasn't just a business.
It was a movement that told generations of athletes to Dream Big Dream Often.
This is the story behind the catalog that changed sports culture and inspired a generation of athletes.
All profits from the book will go to charity. One of those charities is The Little Warriors Foundation that was set up to find a cure for children’s cancer, with a special focus on Ewings Sarcoma. Most of us measure winning by who scores the most points, these amazing kids measure winning just by playing the game.
About the Authors
Art Juedes and Rick Gering
Art Juedes and Rick Gering are entrepreneurs, business leaders, and lifelong best friends who built Eastbay, the athletic shoe and sporting goods mail-order company.
They became a global reseller of sneakers and all things sports through the iconic Eastbay catalog, which reached millions around the world and helped spark today's thriving sneakerhead culture.
Over two decades, Juedes and Gering grew the company, took it public, and eventually sold it to Foot Locker. From there it went on for two more successful decades.
Juedes and Gering now split their time between Florida and Wisconsin, where they spend as much time as possible with their wives, children, and grandchildren.
Writer: Brandon Sneed
Brandon Sneed is an author and journalist who writes for the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and Rolling Stone. His book Sooner was described by Kirkus Reviews as "elegantly written . . . vigorous and smart." In addition, it was labeled "the sports book of the year" by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author and journalist Don Van Natta Jr., of ESPN. Van Natta also described Sneed's book Head in the Game as "a thrilling manifesto."
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Media & Interviews
From Mom's Basement to Phil Knight's Attention: The Untold Eastbay Story
Outside the Box
History of the
Eastbay Sneaker Catalog
WearTesters
The Eastbay Founders Reveal
How Sneaker Culture REALLY Started
Harlan
Words from Eastbay Customers & Fans
Eastbay started from a simple idea, give young athletes access to good shoes they couldn’t get anywhere else at prices they could afford. That’s it. That simple idea wasn’t a strategy dreamt up in some business session or based on advice from an entrepreneur’s handbook. It came from Art and Rick's own experiences as kids and as athletes.
Kevin Plank
Cofounder & Executive Chairman, Under Armour
"In many ways, Art Juedes, Rick Gering, and Eastbay gave Under Armour its start, right alongside me, Ryan Wood, and Kip Fulks. They were Under Armour's first customer and believed in us right away, at a time when Eastbay was the source for the best athletes. Reading this incredible story, it's easy to see why. There are a lot of fond memories here of my early days in the business, but there's also a lot to learn from these visionary entrepreneurs and businessmen."
Salvatore LaRocca
President of Global Partnerships, National Basketball Association
"A cool pair of sneakers, game jerseys, the best equipment—these are the things that connect young athletes to their sports and their heroes. Art and Rick built Eastbay, an iconic, deeply beloved brand, on an instinctual understanding of this magical connection long before many understood it. This book is a great read that shows what hard work and a driving passion can accomplish."
Joe Thomas
Left tackle, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cleveland Browns; College Football Hall of Fame, Wisconsin Badgers
"I still remember the joy that washed over me every time the Eastbay catalog landed in our mailbox. You didn't just flip through it—you devoured it. Every shoe, every cleat, every piece of gear felt like a discovery. Before I ever stepped onto an NFL field, before I earned a scholarship, Eastbay gave me something just as important: dreams made tangible. Eastbay was culture. It shaped generations of athletes long before social media, influencers, or online drops existed. The Eastbay founders weren't just entrepreneurs; they were storytellers, visionaries, and champions for every young athlete chasing a dream."
What a ride. I was not sure what to expect when I ordered this book. The Book of Eastbay managed to be a surprisingly quick read while offering substantive insight to a company's origin, growth, and challenges. Maybe because I am a 90s kid who remembers pouring over the catalog, or maybe I'm burned out of doom-scrolling on a small, handheld device; but reading this book made me deeply nostalgic for the predictable and informative presentation found in the Eastbay catalog. This book is a great read for people who like business origin stories, stories about friendship, and of course, sneaker culture - you will be drooling over these shoe descriptions!
A Dream? An inspiring story of two friends growing up together, sharing a dream and taking that dream to success. But is it only a book about developing a dream into a successful business? This is more than that. This is about success in life. Nurturing friendships, going through struggles and successes, trusting decisions. Disagreements worked out through listening, discussing, compromising, commitment, and concessions. Never giving up, but working to a resolution that is acceptable to both parties. Not going the distance alone. If you want to succeed in life, than I suggest you read this book and walk along with Art and Rick as they navigate a life of success.
Great story of friends who identified a need in the market and built it into a company that still resonates today. A fascinating story that brings you back to a time when you were flipping through pages of your Eastbay magazine dreaming of yourself in your next sneakers. The books spans the journey of the company as it evolved with the market, took existential risks and thrived on a culture of fun, loyalty and dedication to bring the best shoes to young athletes. Great read!
This is a Fantastic true Story that details the growth of the sneaker industry The book details the how knowing your customers and the ability to reach them is so critical The Authors emphasize how important the people around them especially the spouses fueled their Success Congratulations on a Great Read !
Spectacular book outlining the company and their impact on sneaker culture. I worked at EB for 10 years in the 2000's, so after Art and Rick were there, but the culture that they instilled was still present everyday. Many long-time employees that were there with me and worked with Art and Rick said nothing but good things about the pair. Had the privilege of working closely with Rick's brother for the 10 years - great guy!