GLENDALE, Wis. — In1875, two traveling shoe salesmen by the names of William H. Stacy and Henry L. Adams started a men's shoe company that has not only survived but continues to thrive.
Many things have come and gone over the past 150 years, so how has Stacy Adams lasted? I met with the president of Stacy Adams, Brian Flannery, to find out.
Watch: Stacy Adams & Co. celebrates 150 years
“It takes a good product, and we have an amazing staff, an amazing group of designers and salespeople that every year come up with fashionable products at affordable prices for consumers that really want to stand apart. And that's the DNA of Stacey Abrams,” said Flannery.
Long before celebrity endorsements, Stacy Adams shoes were worn by presidents, Calvin Coolidge and Woodrow Wilson, and jazz legends, Lionel Hampton and Cab Calloway. This speaks volumes about the style and quality of the brand.
Advertising has always been a cornerstone of good business, and Stacy Adams ran ads in Gentlemen's Quarterly, Sports Illustrated, and Esquire magazines early on. In 1951, they made the radical move to advertise in Ebony magazine before the civil rights movement in 1954.
Though founded in Brockton, Mass., a once bustling shoe city with hundreds of shoe factories. By 1970, Stacy Adams, like many other shoe companies, was on the verge of bankruptcy. They were acquired by Weyco Group, Inc. and moved to Milwaukee in 1971. That acquisition breathed new life into the brand and allowed for massive growth and expansion.
Watch: Stacy Adams & Co. celebrates 150 years
Keven Ringgold, Vice President of Design, said, “Stacy Adams has always been known for fashionable dress shoes at a value. The evolution of the brand started with taking classics and going more fashionable and even more casual over the years.”
Senior Designer, Ryan Butts added “The state of the culture and how people dress today also influences us. People want to stand out a little bit more, and we offer something for everyone."
The Stacy Adams label is now in menswear, including suits, sleepwear, underwear, sportswear and jewelry. Talk about evolution!
“We are proud to be the stewards of this brand founded in 1875. We have survived wars and the Great Depression. Stacey Adams was born before the invention of the gasoline car and the airplane. It's just incredible, and we have continued to survive and grow as a brand continuously since 1875,” said Flannery.
For. more information, visit the company's website.
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