0 Boston: The Footwear Capital

Converse office space in Boston

Credit: The Daily Astorian

The roster of footwear brands with a headquarters or significant presence in Boston is vast and celebrated:

  • Converse
  • Reebok
  • New Balance
  • Converse
  • Wolverine
  • Saucony
  • Keds
  • Sperry
  • Rockport
  • Clarks
  • Puma

From The Daily Astorian:

“These companies cluster because they’re primarily looking for talent. You want to be where the people are,” said Matthew Powell, a sports industry analyst for the NPD Group, a New York-based market research firm. “They’re also trying to stay close to their consumer. Millennials are clustering in large cities, so it’s a great way to be plugged into where your consumer is.”

The moves also affirm New England – historically the nation’s footwear-making region – remains a viable center of the industry, said Nate Herman, a senior vice president at the American Apparel & Footwear Association trade group.