Converse Company Background
COMPANY BACKGROUND
Converse, Inc. is a designer, distributor and marketer of high-performance and casual athletic footwear and apparel for men, women and children. The Company's products primarily include athletic footwear distinguished by its sports classics, sports performance and sports lifestyle product categories, comprising approximately 37%, 27% and 36%, respectively, of the Company's sales. The sports classics footwear category includes the Chuck Taylor All Star, the Jack Purcell tennis shoe, the One Star court shoe and other authentic heritage products. The sports performance footwear category focuses on basketball footwear, while the sports lifestyle products are designed to appeal to trend-conscious consumers seeking casual footwear. The Company's products are sold in over 12,000 athletic specialty, sporting goods, department and national chain stores across the United States and Canada, and also through Converse's 43 licensees in over 100 countries.
The company’s history can be divided into 2 main timeline:
1. 1908–1941: Early days and Chuck Taylor
In his late 30s, Marquis M. Converse, who was previously a respected manager at a footwear manufacturing firm, opened the Converse Rubber Shoe Company (also known as the Boston Rubber Shoe Company) in Malden, Massachusetts in 1908. The company was a rubber shoe manufacturer, providing winterized rubber soled footwear for men, women, and children. By 1910, Converse was producing 4,000 shoes daily, but it wasn't until 1915 that the company began manufacturing athletic shoes for tennis.
The company's main turning point came in 1917 when the Converse All-Star basketball shoe was introduced. Then in 1921, a basketball player named Charles H. or "Chuck" Taylor walked into Converse complaining of sore feet. Converse gave him a job. He worked as a salesman and ambassador, promoting the shoes around the United States, and in 1923 his signature was added to the All Star patch. He tirelessly continued this work
Converse, Inc. is a designer, distributor and marketer of high-performance and casual athletic footwear and apparel for men, women and children. The Company's products primarily include athletic footwear distinguished by its sports classics, sports performance and sports lifestyle product categories, comprising approximately 37%, 27% and 36%, respectively, of the Company's sales. The sports classics footwear category includes the Chuck Taylor All Star, the Jack Purcell tennis shoe, the One Star court shoe and other authentic heritage products. The sports performance footwear category focuses on basketball footwear, while the sports lifestyle products are designed to appeal to trend-conscious consumers seeking casual footwear. The Company's products are sold in over 12,000 athletic specialty, sporting goods, department and national chain stores across the United States and Canada, and also through Converse's 43 licensees in over 100 countries.
The company’s history can be divided into 2 main timeline:
1. 1908–1941: Early days and Chuck Taylor
In his late 30s, Marquis M. Converse, who was previously a respected manager at a footwear manufacturing firm, opened the Converse Rubber Shoe Company (also known as the Boston Rubber Shoe Company) in Malden, Massachusetts in 1908. The company was a rubber shoe manufacturer, providing winterized rubber soled footwear for men, women, and children. By 1910, Converse was producing 4,000 shoes daily, but it wasn't until 1915 that the company began manufacturing athletic shoes for tennis.
The company's main turning point came in 1917 when the Converse All-Star basketball shoe was introduced. Then in 1921, a basketball player named Charles H. or "Chuck" Taylor walked into Converse complaining of sore feet. Converse gave him a job. He worked as a salesman and ambassador, promoting the shoes around the United States, and in 1923 his signature was added to the All Star patch. He tirelessly continued this work