Converse - Classic Sneakers

Since 1908

Things sometimes go back more than we expect...

Marquis M. Converse started the "Converse Rubber Shoe Company" in 1908. Over a century later, the brand continues as a significant presence in the footwear business.

In the early days, this was the one-time manufacturing plant for "Converse Rubber Shoes." Note the horse-drawn wagon and the antique automobiles.

In the 1950's, Converse marketed their canvas sneakers with the slogan "It's Converse for Comfort."

This 2003 Converse model features a replica of the original 1908 "Converse Rubber Shoe Company" logo.

Converse corporate parentage: from nuke to Nike...

Converse has been part of several different firms over the years. These include:

• 1971: Eltra - diversified manufacturer, probably best known for electrical wiring products (now Prestolite Wire)
• 1980: Allied - Allied became AlliedSignal in 1985, later merged with Honeywell International in 1999 and adopted the Honeywell name - a diversified maker of car parts, aircraft electronics (avionics), and even nuclear weapons.
• 1983: Allied spun off Converse.
• 1986: Interco - Furniture and footwear manufacturer. Later on, Interco changed their name to Furniture Brands International (makers of Broyhill, Lane, and Thomasville).
• 1994: Interco spun off Converse and Florsheim, their footwear businesses, as separate companies.
• 2003: Nike - famous athletic apparel and footwear manufacturer.

Some significant Converse events:

• 1908 - The "Converse Rubber Shoe Company" opens for business.
• 1915 - Converse branches out into sneakers.
• 1917 - The first version of the sneaker now known as the "All Star" enters production.
• 1921 - Charles H. Taylor ("Chuck") hires on as a salesman and endorser.
• 1928 - Converse goes into receivership after a disastrous diversification into automobile tires.
• 1929 - Converse acquired by Mitchell Kaufman.
• 1932 - The "Chuck Taylor" signature added to the All Star basketball shoe.
• 1933 - The Stone family acquires Converse.
• 1935 - The "Jack Purcell" sneaker introduced by B. F. Goodrich... later to become a Converse product.
• 1966 - Converse starts adding color choices to the basic black and white "Chuck Taylor" All Star basketball shoe.
• 1970 - The suede "One Star" comes out.
• 1971 - The Stone family (who started the Stone Charitable Fund of Boston as a philanthropic effort) sells the company to Eltra Corporation.
• 1972:
  • Eltra acquires the B. F. Goodrich footwear business and merges most of it with Converse; they are required by the U. S. Department of Justice to spin off the PF Flyers brand in the process.
  • Charlie buys his first pair of "Chuck Taylor" All Star sneakers for gym class.
• 1975 - Julius W. Erving ("Dr. J") becomes a Converse endorser.
• 1980 - Converse parent Eltra becomes part of Allied Corporation.
• 1982 - Allied Corporation spins off Converse as a separate company.
• 1984 - Converse boxes proudly proclaim "Official Sponsor of the 1984 Olympic Games" after paying $1,000,000 for the privilege.
• 1986 - Interco acquires Converse.
• 1992 - First use of the "REACT" cushioning technology in Converse athletic shoes.
• 1994 - Interco spins off its footwear businesses (Converse and Florsheim) as separate companies.
• 1996 - Converse:
  • Refocuses on their product strengths: basketball, cross training, and "athletic original" shoe lines.
  • Produces 5.2 million pairs of sneakers in the United States.
  • Jumps the millennium four years early with the All Star 2000.
• 1997 - Converse:
  • Announces that over 550 million pairs of "Chuck Taylor" All Star sneakers produced; believed an industry record.
  • Produces 7.5 million pairs of sneakers in the United States.
  • Establishes its presence on the World Wide Web.
• 1998 - Converse:
  • Announces that over 560 million pairs of "Chuck Taylor" All Star sneakers produced.
  • Produces 8.4 million pairs of sneakers in the United States.
  • Celebrates ninety years in business.
• 1999 - Converse:
  • Has United States production drop to 5.6 million pairs.
  • Introduces helium cushioning to athletic shoes.
• 2000 - Converse:
  • Announces that over 570 million pairs of "Chuck Taylor" All Star sneakers produced.
  • Produces 3.9 million pairs of sneakers in the United States.
• 2001 - Converse:
  • January - Enters Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
  • March - Discontinues manufacturing in the United States.
  • April - Changes ownership from public to private hands; $117 million paid to the bankruptcy court towards their debt.
  • July - First "Chuck Taylor" All Star sneakers made in Indonesia arrive in the USA.
• 2002 - Converse:
  • July 31 - All the old Converse stock was cancelled. Unlucky stockholders should have taken the write-off for worthless stock in 2002. (You're out of luck now.)
  • December - Then-current owners formally propose that Converse return to being a publicly owned company.
• 2003:
  • July 9 - Nike announces that they will purchase Converse for $305 million plus the assumption of certain liabilities.
  • September 4 - Nike acquisition completed; Converse now part of the Nike collection of "SWOOSH-free" brands (which also includes Hurley International action sports clothing and footwear).

Best-selling sneaker of all time:

Over 1.1 billion shoe laces have been made, just to meet the manufacturing requirements for Converse "Chuck Taylor" All Star sneakers.

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Last Updated: 31 May 2017

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Charlie's Sneaker Pages copyright 1995-2024 by Charles L. Perrin.

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