Vans
Vans is an American based sneaker manufacturer, catering mainly to skateboarders and other action sports enthusiasts. The company has released some of the industry's most iconic shoes, including the Vans Eras, Half Cabs, and Slip-Ons.
Brand History
Vans was founded by Paul Van Doren in 1966, when he and three partners opened their first store on 704 E. Broadway, in Anaheim, California. The company was founded with the unique vision of manufacturing skate shoes and selling them directly to consumers at better prices.
By the mid-1970s skatebaording had been established as a major pastime and Vans had positioned itself as the shoe of choice for most skaters. Vans continued to operate in close cooperation with skaters, accepting feedback from those who were willing to give it, especially pro skateboarders who were looking for new colors and materials. The company took feedback from two major pros, Stacey Peralta and Tony Alva, and used it to produce a skate shoe designed by skaters, the Vans ERA, which became very successful.
In the 1980s, Vans began to branch away from its core market. The company attempted to move into other sports, such as baseball, basketball, and football. However, by branching into these other markets, Vans alienated the skaters who had loved the company. Furthermore, the shoes they produced for other sports were not well-received, and the company had to take a loss on these products as well. Even though the company's core models were still selling well, the expansion into new markets created too much debt for the company to pay back and it was forced to file for bankruptcy in 1983.
After three years, the company was able to pay back all the creditors to which it owed money. Then, in 1988 Vans was sold to investment banking firm, McCown De Leeuw. Since then, the company has been sold several times, most recently to a company named VF Corp.