Birchbury Founder
Matthew Tran
Matthew Tran was a lifelong flip-flop guy. He sought upscale leather dress shoes, but existing options were "wildly uncomfortable" for his naturally spread toes. Barefoot shoe designs existed, yet none offered the classic look he desired.
Matt took matters into his own hands, deciding to make his own shoe when he launched Birchbury in 2019. He pioneered wide toe box, zero-drop footwear that combined comfort with a professional aesthetic. The result is a barefoot shoe crafted from soft, full-grain American-tanned leather featuring elastic laces for slip-on ease.
Started by just one guy and run by a tiny team, Birchbury has achieved phenomenal growth by prioritizing foot freedom and classic style.
Education
B.S. in Psychology, University of California, Irvine (2009)
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Cum Laude), California State University Long Beach (2014)
Professional Accomplishments
Matt grew a YouTube channel from 0 to 300,000+ subscribers before retiring to start Birchbury.com. (2011 - 2018)
Birchbury has had 85,000+ orders to date (2019 - 2025)
Philantrophy
Matt is the volunteer webmaster for FightDotMeat.com, an animal-welfare registered non-profit dedicated to exposing and ending the dog and cat meat trade while rescuing abused animals and rehoming them into safe, loving homes.