The story of New Balance begins at the dawn of the 20th century in Cambridge, Massachusetts when William J. Riley, a 33-year-old English immigrant, committed himself to helping people with problem feet by making arch supports and prescription footwear to improve shoe fit.In 1934, Mr. Riley went into partnership with his leading salesman, Arthur Hall, who was highly successful selling arch supports to "policemen and other folks who were on their feet all day."Because feet don't come in one or two widths, and because shoes that fit better perform better, New Balance shoes come in a wide range of widths and sizes.In addition, the New Balance Suspension System-a collection of technologies developed to meet the diverse needs of athletes-is integrated throughout the product line to ensure you find the right shoe for your foot type and performance requirements.