About GLEN

OWNER

Glen is the original owner of our fantastic company. After an assortment of different jobs, Glen founded Baggins in 1969 and opened what has now become his beloved shoe empire. A true born and bred Victorian, Glen likes to spend time outdoors when he’s not at work; Travelling, swimming, and biking are his favorites. Although he does admit he loves to stay home and read or watch TV as well.

When asked about his favorite Baggins story, Glen said that there is a new one every day, so it would take more than a paragraph and a beer to get into them. When it comes to Baggins products, Glen is all about the classics, naming his favorite as the classic Black Converse Hi-Tops, Vans Classic Slip-Ons in black with the white sole. He is also a big fan of the John Varvatos Low-Tops.

Glen’s favorite part about Baggins is the fact that he gets to talk to people from all over the world, and work with a delightful staff.

About TARA

CO-OWNER / DIRECTOR

Tara / Taradactyl / Big Boss. She first started here in February 2013 (TEN years ago!), and in 2018 she and her Husband bought into the company. She's been running the day-to-day operations and beyond ever since!

Tara is also a part-time dog trainer, she teaches classes in her (very precious) downtime. When she's not at work or training, you'll find Tara hanging with her adorable pets: Storm (6.5-year-old Heeler), Gambit (6-year-old Pit Bull cross), Logan (almost 1-year-old Heeler cross) and Cleo (13-year-old Calico cat). Her favourite thing to do when she's not running the world is unwinding in her hot tub, watching movies and trashy reality TV; Below Deck is best, but she also loves Love is Blind, Ex on the Beach, and Big Brother. As for music, she is particularly fond of Ghost and Rufus Du Sol at the moment.

Originally from Vancouver, Tara moved to Victoria when she was 4, but spent tons of weekends on the mainland with her Dad until her teens. She then attended UVIC for her bachelor’s degree in Germanic studies with a minor in French language.

Tara's obsessed with Dr. Martens. They're a perfect fit for her style and vibe, and if Docs releases anything pink, she'll snap it up immediately. She also can't live without the Vans Old Skool (she's partial to the classic black and white), and even though she can't wear them, she loves to admire the Converse platforms.

According to Tara, the best part of her job is buying and sourcing products - she finds it really interesting to see what the brands are doing, and loves to predict what will be popular in a year!

On the topic of recommendations, if you're new to town, Tara suggests you explore downtown. There are so many excellent parts, with tons of history. We did a team Ghost Tour a few years ago, which was surprisingly informative about our city's history! Outside of downtown, Tara thinks you should check the surrounding area out too - there are so many gorgeous lakes and coasts to explore. Many days you can find her hiking around with Storm, her trusty sidekick. 

About ANNA

MANAGER/LEAD DESIGNER

Anna is our graphic designer, social media and marketing queen, and customer service guru. Anna joined the squad in May 2016. She grew up in White Rock, BC but moved to Victoria to pursue her passion, Graphic Design, after studying Art History in Vancouver. You can find her drawing, crocheting, busting out yoga poses, and hanging with her cat Meryl in her free time. She also reads a ton, not to brag. 

Anna says her favourite memories from Baggins are plenty. From swapping ghost stories, debating which is the best Bubly flavour, painting endless window displays, and sharing tons of amazing lunches, she counts herself lucky to be a part of an amazing crew, old and new. If she had to pick her favorite Baggins products, she would of course recommend getting some custom kicks, probably designed by her, a pair of Baggins Originals (check out the Cat Nap design), or something from one of our fab Artist Collaborators.

Anna is always happy to come to work each day and says that working with such a unique company is a constant inspiration. Anna loves creating new art for our Baggins Originals collection, dreaming up designs for our marketing materials, and working with our incredible clients.

If you're new to Victoria, Anna recommends exploring the beaches. She has a few secret swimming spots that she'll shamelessly gatekeep, but aside from those, a not-so-secret spot she loves is Sooke Potholes. During the colder months, she thinks you should check the bookstores out. Her fave is Munro's, but Russell's is great too. Aside from books (NERD!) Anna's been obsessed with Shameless on Netflix, Love Island (UK, of course), and loves listening to music - Pinegrove, Homeshake, FKA Twigs, the 1975... to name a few.

About ALEX

PRINT TECH

Alex joined our print crew in May of 2022, after finishing her education at SAIT, studying Graphic Communications and Print Technology. She grew up in Saskatoon and moved to Victoria as a teen, where her first job was at Parachute Ice Cream!

A serious nap-enthusiast, Alex has two cats (Pip and Coco) who also share that same passion. Her fave band is the 1975, and she loves reading books and watching movies - her secret guilty pleasure watch is Dodgeball.

Alex says her favourite part of working at Baggins is getting to see all the amazing designs our creative customers come up with, and working in a fun and insipiring team.

Now for some recommendations. If you're new to Victoria, Alex recommends taking yourself on an Ice Cream tour - she firmly believes that Victoria's best when seen with an Ice Cream in hand. She also recommends Converse 1970's, Vans Lowlands, and Herschel Elmer Toques. A girl with great taste!

About JACK

PRINT TECH

Jack joined the Printshop Crew in the spooky month of October 2022. He was born here in Victoria, then moved up island where he grew up. After he moved back to Victoria to finish up school, Jack worked at Canadian Tire for a few years before pursuing more creative ambitions working at Baggins.

Jack works in the printshop, you'd find him expertly working the DTG machines to make your custom shoe dreams come true. He told us his favourite part of the day is polishing up the printed shoes, making them clean and ready to ship. Jack says seeing the shoes finished is super satisfying.

Jack's an artist extraordinnaire. He loves playing guitar, making music, and drawing. Our office is covered in his cartoon faces! During his free time, he loves listening to tunes (usually Radiohead), hanging out with his dogs Poppy and Bijou, and his cat Pip. We asked what his guilty-pleasure movie is, he told us it's Aquamarine. AQUA!!!!

If you're new to town, Jack recommends visiting the hallowed halls of Royal Roads University, where they filmed a ton of movies but most notably, the X-Men films! He'd also recommend you check out Converse 70s (black hi-tops are his fave), all of the Vans Old Skools, and his most recent additions, the Bart Simpsons edition from Stance Socks.

About TYLER

ORDERS / WAREHOUSE MANAGER

Born and raised in Edmonton, Tyler joined our Warehouse team in November 2016 after moving to Victoria the previous year. He came armed with experience in a variety of different fields, including a past life as a turkey farmer. He has since dedicated his life to the pursuit of The Truth, and regularly goes out to the sticks to search for Bigfoot.

When not at work, Tyler loves playing music and currently plays drums for local legends Acres of Lions. When we asked what his favourite thing to do is, he said it’s to watch semi-pro Cornhole tournaments and definitely is not answering Anna's Questionnaires.

He finds the task of naming a favourite product difficult, but the last thing he purchased was a pair of Vans MTEs that he loves, and is also a huge fan of Stance socks.

About BELINDA

RETAIL MANAGER

Belinda joined the team in September 2019 and we’re so happy to have her as a part of the Baggins Fam! With a long history in retail and sales, we can safely say that Bo is a total master. When Belinda is not slaying on the sales floor and helping everything run smoothly at the Baggins headquarters, you can find her playing WII (she's a champ), playing Canasta (also a champ), or just chilling and watching crazy reality TV.

One of the first things we noticed about Bo beside her warm, sparkling personality and blistering roasts is how easily she scares. She's called the Scream Queen for a reason!

Although Belinda was born in Halifax, the majority of her life has been spent living in Victoria. Sales have been her passion for 50 years now - it's in her "sole". She's been selling shoes for 22 years to be precise, and she's pretty damn good at it. Bo says "time flies when you're having fun!" and we agree.

Take it from her - she's seen our city through many changes, and Bo says the best thing to do if you're new to town is to take public transit's double-decker bus out to Sidney. Sit on the top level to take in the views, then stroll along Beacon Ave to the waterfront, then check out a restaurant or grab a drink! If it's media recommendations you're after, Bo favours R&B and anything from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In terms of what we offer, Belinda recommends Vans for their wider fit, Converse Wide, and the cute Herschel Mini Nova bags.

About MIKE

SHOE-PERVISOR

Mike, Shoe-pervisor at large, first joined the Baggins Squad™ far before calendars were invented. He has a shocking talent for extended armpit farts, probably descended from his ancestors the Alien Overlords.

Mike was born under the sparkling Falls of Niagara before he washed away through the Rocky Mountains and eventually emerged from the great Pacific to stumble onto Johnson Street to meet his destiny. These days, he's shadowed by his little liege (cat), the beautiful and talented Mr. Howl Jenkins Pendragon. He is the Black Panther of Mike's home and has very dainty mews.

Allergic to any serious sentiment he may be, this charismatic fellow is a staple of Baggins, and he's universally beloved by both customers and staff. Mike loves D&D, scaring Belinda (which is way too easy), and strolling along Dallas Rd. to pet as many dogs as he can get his hands on.

Looking for recommendations from the coolest guy alive? If you are lucky enough to meet him in person, he'll show you his talent of bringing you the exact perfect shoe for you, but for the unlucky, here's what he'd suggest. Check out Sk8-His, 1460s, and ANY of the Stance socks. In terms of media, he currently loves CAKE's version of War Pigs, and, of course, Hot Rod.

About LAURA

SALES / COPYWRITER

Laura's been lighting up our lives at Baggins since April 2022, she's the cutie with a huge smile! She's a pro on the sales floor, and loves helping people find a pair to match their style. She's also a great writer, you can find her work over on our Blog! Laura grew up in Surrey, moving over to Victoria in the summer of 2021 to go to UVIC to study Writing and Psychology.

Laura's favourite part of her job at Baggins is seeing all the cutest customers (Dogs) come through the door! She had a Brittany Spaniel growing up, so she definitely has a soft spot for our furry friends.

Recommendation time! If you're new to town, Laura recommends checking out Dallas rd. for a stroll with some gorgeous ocean views, then grab some dinner at Sült Pierogi Bar. If it's product recommendations you're after, she'll tell you to check out the Vans Lowland sneakers, the Vans UltraRange collection, and any Converse Platforms!

About ANGELA

SALES

Angela joined the Baggins Shoes Squad in September 2022, and has been a staple of the weekend crew ever since! She grew up in Thunder Bay ON, but moved to Victoria to get away from the snow and study Social Work at UVIC.

Angela's sidekick, an evil rescue cat named Petunia, goes by many names... J.P. Tunia, El Diablo, Petutsy, Pontoon Boat, and Stupid to name a few. When she's not hanging out with her little furry pal, you can find her teaching kiddos to skate, watching 10 Things I Hate About You ("trust me, I feel no guilt about my undying love for this cinematic masterpiece"), or listening to her fave album Hardcore by Lil Kim. Angela's a huge fan of the outdoors - she's an avid hiker, and loves kayaking, paddle boarding, exploring the beach, or just laying in the sun like a cat, getting hand-fed grapes. She's got it figured out.

Although she's fairly new to the city, Angela's got a really good game plan for other newbies: first, walk around downtown. Of course, you should stop into Baggins for a quintessential Victoria experience, then move on to Chinatown for some history. She also recommends Deadbeetz for their burger, she's partial to the Dolly P, "best burger I've ever had in my life". You should take your food to go, and visit Clover Point to check out the kite sufers.

If you ask Angela, one of the best things we sell at Baggins is the Infiknit line from Stance Socks, "the best investment you can make for your feet". She's also a huge advocate for the Dr. Martens shoecare line to keep your leather thriving, & of course, the staff-fave Vans Lowlands.

About MARY

SALES

Mary is our resident shoe collector and snack queen. She started working at Baggins in January 2022 after working for a few other local shoe stores, and they say Baggins felt like the best fit!

Mary's favourite thing to do when she's not slaying on the sales floor is to go on adventures with her friends and flex her photography skills. She spends as much time as possible with family and friends both human and animal. Mary has two pets: Floracita, a rescue dog, and Sir Romeo (Momo), a Sphynx cat.

As our most avid shoe collector, Mary's recommendations come with ample first-hand experience. They recommend Dr. Martens Jadon boots, Converse 70s Hi-tops, and the Vans Platform Old Skools. These edgy styles make sense when you ask what their favourite band is (Palaye Royale) & if you're wondering what her guilty-pleasure movie of choice is, it’s Pineapple Express.

Mary grew up in Victoria and has actually always lived within walking distance of Baggins & the Downtown area, so you can bet she has some excellent recommendations for newcomers. They say you should visit some of our beautiful beaches and forests - bonus points if you can find a hike with a path down to the ocean!

About ALI

SALES

Ali joined the team in September 2022, and is our newest member of the Baggins Squad, and makes Sundays so much brighter with her hustle! Ali, aka Alioop, loves playing B-Ball, hanging out with her sweet little chunky Calico cat named Miso, & listening to oldies.

Ali grew up in Penticton and graduated from Pen High before moving to Victoria. She is a hustler to the core. "Free time" is not a word in her personal dictionary. Her best part of working at Baggins? Oogling all the amazing shoes, trying on a few pairs every shift, and finding that perfect pair for everyone who walks through our door. Ali recommends Dr. Martens Jadons, Dr Martens Sinlairs, and any of the Herschel toques.

If you're visiting Victoria for the first time, Ali says you should take advantage of the Seafood. She "loves to eat all the fresh lil sea critters that Victoria has to offer". She also recommends checking out a few of the city's breweries; Whistle Buoy is our neighbour in Market Square and they always have something amazing and unexpected. Kill two birds with one stone: in the Summer they host a Wandering Mollusk cart on their patio!