In 1975 Ficke opened an independent footwear retail store at the Aurora Mall ( now known as Town Center at Aurora ) in Aurora , Colorado . Initially Ficke was looking for a short-term lease in case the business floundered , however , he ended up taking a 15-year lease . This worked in his favor as his competitor 's rent costs increased over the 15-year span . After 20 years Ficke shuttered his " Fleet Feet " retail store . He now operates a pizzeria in Centennial , Colorado — known as " Big Bill 's New York Pizza " — which was opened in 1995 . Ficke runs a fundraiser known as the “ 9/11 Day of Giving ” in which the proceeds from the pizzeria go to cancer research foundations in Colorado . Ficke and his son , Dan Ficke , run the JoAnn B. Ficke Cancer Foundation which was established following the death of JoAnne Ficke from lymphoma in 2009
9/11
September 11 attacks
Bill Ficke