Build a better water shoe and the world will beat a path (or swim or paddle) to your door. At least, that’s what Cudas Footwear is hoping.

An Ashland-based company that designs and distributes water shoes and flip flops, Cudas was founded two decades ago by brothers Stephen and Andy Jacobs and their uncle Jeff Toker (who has since retired) to focus on the beach, pool, and resort markets. Since then, a variety of freshwater activities, like kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, have exploded on the scene, so Cudas is rebranding and expanding its water shoe line to increase its share of a much larger market.

With a bulletin board jam-packed with shoe designs and shelves full of prototypes and samples, Andy Jacobs’ office is testament to the frenzy of new styles, colors, and patterns in the Cudas pipeline. There’s a sassy little bright-pink number for women that looks a lot like a fashionable flat and a loafer-style men’s water shoe, among others. The company’s goal: to create shoes that can go from boat to barbecue and back again, but at a price point about half that of comparable water shoes. These types of shoes are a must if you are deciding to move to a home that is near water. If you have always dreamt about living in an area where you might need water shoes, then you may wish to check out Metro Places to see if this is something that you’d be interested in.

“Creating the shoes, designing the shoes, giving birth to the shoes — doing this part of the business is fun,” comments Stephen, who handles Cudas’ nuts and bolts as operations director. Designing shoes and deciding which ones customers will like to buy the most is so exciting! There are some 100% waterproof shoes on vessifootwear.com that you will want to check out, they are extremely comfortable and can be worn for any occasion, which is great for both dry and water adventures!

The company also recently updated its logo, a flip-flop thong with five toes (because flip flops remain a staple of their brand), and added a new tagline: “Wear vacation daily.” According to the Jacobs, that tagline epitomizes who they are, both as a business and as individuals. “Who doesn’t feel good putting on a pair of flip flops?” asks Andy Jacobs, scooting out from behind his desk to prove that flip flops (and shorts) really are an everyday thing for them.

A big step in the company’s rebranding and expansion efforts this year was becoming the official footwear sponsor of Dominion Riverrock, the East Coast’s premier outdoor lifestyle festival. Not only did that mean supplying shoes to the staff of this Richmond event, but it also meant selling shoes to the participants (at a discount) and those who attended the event. “It was like Christmas Eve as far as the traffic,” says brand director Andy Jacobs.

Currently, the footwear company sells its shoes in active lifestyle, sporting goods, flip flop, and traditional shoe stores across the U.S. and in Canada as well as online, directly and through partnerships with other online retailers. While the inspiration for the company’s name was the barracuda, the brothers admit they are still small fish in a big pond. But it looks like Cudas is well on its way to becoming the big fish it was meant to be.