Article: Rented bowling shoes so square, they're hip _ so hot, they're stolen.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

KANSAS CITY, Mo._At the end of each day, employees at Gladstone Bowl re-shelve the bowling shoes that patrons have heaped on the front counter.

Lately, it has taken them less time to finish the chore. The reason: There are fewer shoes to shelve. People have been stealing them from the alley at an alarming rate, manager Vicki Davis said.

"It seems like every week we lose at least a dozen pairs of shoes," Davis said. "I think people are wearing them outdoors to make a fashion statement."

Gladstone Bowl is one of many Kansas City area bowling alleys that have lost shoes to a growing fashion trend. Although teen-agers and young adults have mixed ...

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