The History of Converse from Heal to Toe

In 1908, a man named Marquis Mills Converse opened up the Converse Rubber Shoe Company in Malden, Massachusetts. The company initially produced rubber-soled shoes for men, women, and children, but in 1915, they introduced the All-Star basketball shoe. 

The All-Star was the first athletic shoe designed specifically for basketball, and it quickly became popular among players.

This simple and effective shoe was designed with a high-top canvas upper and a rubber sole. It provided excellent support and traction on the court, making it the go-to shoe for basketball players everywhere. 

In fact, the shoe was so popular that by the 1960s, over 90% of all professional basketball players were wearing Converse All-Stars.

Over the years, the All-Star’s popularity grew beyond the basketball court. 

Musicians, artists, and other cultural icons adopted the shoe as a symbol of rebellion and nonconformity. The shoe became a staple of the punk rock scene in the 1970s and the grunge scene in the 1990s. 

In 1986, Converse released a line of All-Stars designed by artist Chuck Taylor, who had been a Converse salesman and ambassador for the brand since the 1920s.
Learn how to clean Chuck Taylors here at Shoe Care University.

Despite its enduring popularity, Converse faced financial struggles in the 2000s and filed for bankruptcy in 2001. 

The company was eventually acquired by Nike in 2003, and the All-Star remains a classic shoe to this day.

Now that we’ve taken a trip down memory lane, let’s return to the present. As we’ve seen with Converse, even the most iconic shoes can suffer wear and tear over time. That’s why it’s important to take care of your kicks with the right products, like the Shoe MGK MVP Kit. 

With Shoe MGK, you can keep your shoes looking and feeling like new, whether they’re classic All-Stars or modern Jack Purcell Canvas Skate Shoes.