END founder starts Lume
Posted: January 12, 2010 by Ross
Portland Business Journal - Wendy Culverwell - January 8, 2010
Andrew Estey, a former Nike, Inc. executive who co-founded the successful END footwear, is back with a new venture.
Estey formed Lume Footwear in late 2009 to design a line of footwear serving active but aging baby boomers.
Lume launched with five employees in Estey's West Linn home. Estey said the company is targeting a fall rollout for its offerings, to include footwear, socks and inserts for both men and women.
Estey, who sold Portland-based END, short for Environmentally Neutral Design, to Lacrosse Footwear in June 2009 for $500,000, self-funded Lume and based the name on the word luminescence. Citing a challenging economy, LaCrosse discontinued the brand shortly after purchasing the company.
Estey, 44, said he'll use the same tools he used to solve footwear problems of athletes to address footwear problems of maturing feet. Lume is conceived as a lifestyle brand targeting active baby boomers who want well-designed gear.
The problems might be different, he said, but how we go about and solve the problems is the same.
Estey called Lume an extension of his career and what he learned at END and Nike rather than a personal mission.
Lume will market through social media and intends to sell on its Web site and in traditional stores through retail partners. Estey said his current plans do not include opening Lume retail outlets.
Lume expects to contract with Chinese manufacturers to make shoes.
Estey co-founded END in January 2007 and led the company for two-and-a-half years until its sale. The company gained notoriety for winning $250,000 in seed money in the Angel Oregon competition and by raising more than $1 million to launch its new shoe brand.
Prior to END, Estey held design positions in Nike's active life, men's cross training and cleated divisions.
Lume is a welcome addition to Portland's important apparel industry, said Jennifer Nolfi, industry liaison for the Portland Development Commission. The sector employs about 10,000 people in the region and is targeted by the PDC, Greenlight Greater Portland and other development agencies as a growth industry.
With a proven track record of innovation, Estey's decision to launch a new business now is particularly welcome.
Entrepreneurs are going to lead us out of this recession, said Nolfi, who called Portland the perfect laboratory for new apparel products because of its active outdoor community. It's really a living lab here.
With an average wage of $92,700, employment in the apparel sector is an economic engine for the region. According to the PDC, footwear manufacturing grew more than 70 percent between 2001 and 2006.
Greenlight Greater Portland estimates 215 athletic apparel and active outdoor firms operate in the region.
Leading local apparel companies include Nike, Inc., Columbia Sportswear, Pendleton Woolen Mills, Adidas AG, S Group, Lucy Activewear Inc. and Keen Footwear.
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