Allen Edmonds

{{Infobox company

| name = Allen Edmonds Shoe Corporation

| logo = Allen Edmonds logo.svg

| logo_upright = 0.8

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| image = An Allen Edmonds shoe store at The Summit shopping mall in Birmingham, Alabama.jpg

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| image_caption = Allen Edmonds at The Summit (Alabama)

| former_name = Allen-Spiegel Shoe Company (1922-1931)

| type = Subsidiary

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| industry = Fashion

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| founded = {{start date and age|1922||}} in Belgium, Wisconsin, U.S.

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| hq_location = 201 E Seven Hills Rd, Port Washington, WI, USA 53074
{{coord|43.4105|-87.8689|display=title,inline}}

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| num_locations = 60+ stores (2022)

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| products = {{hlist|Men's dress shoes|casual shoes|boots|sneakers|apparel|accessories}}

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| parent = Caleres (2016 - present)

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| website = {{URL|www.allenedmonds.com|allenedmonds.com}}

}}

Allen Edmonds is an American upscale men's shoe company based in Port Washington, Wisconsin. The company was established in Belgium, Wisconsin, in 1922 by Elbert W. Allen as Allen-Spiegal Shoe Company.{{Cite web |last=Dill |first=Molly |date=2016-12-13 |title=Allen Edmonds acquired for $255 million |url=https://biztimes.com/allen-edmonds-acquired-for-255-million/ |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=Milwaukee Business News |language=en-US}} The company is one of the few companies to maintain manufacturing in the U.S. and has been the choice for every U.S. president on inauguration day from Ronald Reagan to George W. Bush.{{Cite web |last=Danziger |first=Pamela N. |date=2022-07-24 |title=Allen Edmonds Celebrates 100 Years Of U.S. Shoemaker Craft |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamdanziger/2022/07/24/how-allen-edmonds-celebrates-100-years-of-us-shoemaker-craft/ |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=Forbes |language=en}}

History

In 1922, Elbert Allen began crafting men's shoes by hand in Belgium, Wisconsin, but did not know how to effectively sell his shoes. In 1931, Allen partnered with Bill Edmonds, a salesman, and formed the Allen Edmonds Corporation. Allen ran the company until he died in 1946 and the company was passed onto Allen's son, Elbert "Bert" Allen, Jr. Upon Bert's death in 1968, the company was handed down to Bert's younger brothers. In 1980, the company was sold out of the Allen family to John Stollenwerk, who was committed to continuing the Allen family's history of American production.{{Cite book |last=Briggs |first=John |title=Simply American |publisher=Lulu Press |date=2018-08-22}}

Allen Edmonds gained much of its following after providing shoes to the US Army and US Navy during World War II, with many of the recipients of the shoes being loyal to the brand for the rest of their lives.[https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/29/business/29shoe.html?ei=5007&en=dbec2f2df332295f&ex=1401163200&partner=USERLAND&pagewanted=all&position= Aaron Nathans Allen-Edmonds Keeps Its Shoes on an American Factory Floor], The New York Times, May 29, 2004.

Around 2000-2005, as online shopping increased, the brand faced competition for its $600 range, American-made shoes from European brands and upstart U.S. brands like To Boot New York introducing new products such as Italian-made shoes in the $300–350 range which were generally lighter and sleeker, and seemed more modern, even if they were not as high quality. Average shoppers couldn't distinguish the quality of "Park Avenue" products like Allen Edmonds and often chose the cheaper, trendier upstart product.{{cite news |title=What happened to Allen Edmonds? The Decline of an American Icon |url=https://brillare.ca/blogs/blog/what-happened-to-allen-edmonds-the-decline-of-an-american-icon |access-date=19 June 2024 |work=Brillaré Shoe Care - Official Saphir Reseller |date=30 October 2022 |language=en}}

In 2006, 90% of the shares in the company were bought by Minneapolis-based investment firm Goldner Hawn Johnson & Morrison for $100 million.[http://www.just-style.com/article.aspx?id=94425 US: Goldner Hawn buys majority of Allen-Edmonds], just-style.com, July 21, 2006.[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-16020063_ITM Rick Romell, Port shoe firm sold: Investors pay $100 million for Allen-Edmonds], Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 21, 2006. In 2013, the company announced that it would be acquired by private equity firm Brentwood Associates.{{cite news |last=Kell |first=John |date=November 5, 2013 |title=Deal Struck for Men's Shoemaker |page=B2 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal}} In December 2016, Caleres acquired Allen Edmonds from Brentwood Associates for $255 million.{{cite magazine |last=Garner |first=Stephen |date=December 14, 2016 |title=Caleres Acquires Allen Edmonds in $255 Million Deal |url=http://www.mr-mag.com/caleres-acquires-allen-edmonds-255-million-deal/ |magazine=MR Magazine}}

Manufacturing

File:Pair of plain toe oxfords from Allen Edmonds shoe company.jpg oxfords]]

File:Pair of semi brogues from Allen Edmonds shoe company.jpg

With more than ninety-eight per cent of shoes sold in the U.S. being produced overseas, Allen Edmonds is among a small minority of companies producing shoes domestically.{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/21/fashion/21SHOES.html |title=At Their Feet, Crafted by Hand |date=April 20, 2011 |first=Eric |last=Wilson}} John Stollenwerk, Allen Edmonds's retired chairman and former owner was committed to keeping manufacturing in the U.S. In 2003, the company invested $1 million (1.1% of sales) to refit their factory to save 5% on production of each shoe. Its assembly lines were replaced with teams of craftsmen, allowing reduced overtime, more ease in covering for absent employees, and fewer manufacturing imperfections.

In 2006, concerned with rising manufacturing costs and ambitions to compete in the boat shoe and hand-sewn market, Allen Edmonds closed its Lewiston, Maine, manufacturing plant and moved its hand-sewn production to a new, company-owned factory in the Dominican Republic.{{Cite web |date=2020-04-27 |title=Is It Still Made in Wisconsin? |url=https://www.milwaukeemag.com/is-it-still-made-in-wisconsin/ |access-date=2022-05-27 |website=Milwaukee Magazine |language=en-US}} Shoe uppers for the Allen Edmonds hand-sewn collection are cut and sewn in the Dominican Republic; raw materials are sent from the U.S. for sewing, then shipped to Port Washington, Wisconsin for completion.{{cite news |last=Kirchen |first=Rich |date=April 29, 2007 |title=Allen-Edmonds to open shop offshore |newspaper=Milwaukee Business Journal |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2007/04/30/story1.html}} The Horween Leather Company supplies leather shells for Allen Edmonds.{{cite news |last=Rolek |first=Barbara |date=October 27, 2003 |title=Horween's leather bound by tradition |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/10/27/horweens-leather-bound-by-tradition/ |access-date=March 27, 2013}}

Allen Edmonds offers recrafting services to refurbish its shoes, which includes replacing soles and heels; creating a new cork base and strip; and reapplying finish.[http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_11944978 StyleFile: Taking care of business women], The Denver Post, March 19, 2009. The company recrafts 26,000 pairs of shoes each year and has recrafted one million pairs since the program's inception. The company states a pair of its shoes can be recrafted about four times before it should be retired.

As of 2022, Allen Edmonds employs 135 craftspeople, many of which are 2nd and 3rd-generation makers, and has an apprentice program to train new generations of craftspeople. Each shoe goes through a 212-step process and will see up to 60 different craftspeople before the shoe is completed.

Allen Edmonds

History

Manufacturing

References

See also