What were vans originally made for

American manufacturer of shoes

This article is about the apparel company. For the road vehicle, see Van. For other uses, see Vans (disambiguation).

Vans (originally called the Van Doren Rubber Company) is an American apparel, accessories, and skateboarding shoes brand, established in Anaheim, California, and owned by VF Corporation. The company also sponsors surf, snowboarding, BMX, and motocross teams.^[3] From 1996 to 2019, the brand was the primary sponsor of the annual Warped Tour music festival.

History

Founding and early history

Paul Van Doren, his brother James, and Gordon C. Lee opened the first Vans store as "The Van Doren Rubber Company" on March 16, 1966, at 704 East Broadway in Anaheim, California.^[4] The business manufactured shoes and sold them directly to the public. Upon opening, twelve customers purchased Vans deck shoes (now called "Authentic"), similar to those manufactured by Keds but with a thicker sole. The Vans shoes official website!