Thom McAn Shoes – What Happened?

American Memory Lane ^ | ? | American Memory Lane

[1Old Pro]

They are a great value for a classic men's dress shoe.

Very well made and good fitting and can be repaired.

[Fido969]

Stop being a dingbat. Reagan opened diplomatic relations, but Clinton opened economic relations, and in a big way.

[rfp1234]

a six-toed woman?

[Psalm 73]

Have a pair of TM wingtips bought in the 80's - still wear 'em for weddings and funerals.

Keep them in shoe trees and use a good polish.

[ought-six]

I did; at least in the 1950s. Maybe even the early 1960s.

[Yardstick]

I have a pair of Allen Edmonds boots that I’ve been wearing pretty regularly for about 8 years now. I’ve had them resoled once by a local cobbler but the uppers are still in great shape. Not an inexpensive shoe but they’ve been a bargain in terms of cost per wear. Another great American shoemaker that has managed to survive is Alden in Massachusetts.

[ought-six]

“My Mom shopped at Sears and Penny’s. I wore Van’s tennis shoes all the time.........”

I wore Jack Purcell’s.

[1Old Pro]

Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush all share something in common: On Inauguration Day, each wore a pair of Allen Edmonds shoes. When President Barack Obama took the oath of office four years ago, he broke the tradition and donned a different brand of footwear.

[Fido969]

My mistake, it was NIXON who opened diplomatic relations, but it was clearly Clinton who opened up the economic floodgate.

I watched the show and textile industry completely collapse in this area in a matter of a few short years.

[ought-six]

“Such as, Schiff Shoes, Kinney Shoes, Robert Hall clothing stores, dime stores such as JJ Newberry and Woolworth’s and Kresge.”

Yeah, I remember Kinney Shoes, Robert Hall, JJ Newberry and Woolworth’s.

[Jamestown1630]

We had Lansburgh’s, too; and Garfinckel’s - great old stores.

Now everything is boring...

[1Old Pro]

“My Mom shopped at Sears and Penny’s. I wore Van’s tennis shoes all the time.........” I wore Jack Purcell’s.

Adidas, Stan Smith :)

[ought-six]

You make a good point: Online shopping is kicking butt over brick and mortar stores.

[ought-six]

Companies are in business to make a profit. No profits, no business, no employees, no shareholders; no company.

[Sirius Lee]

Who didn't get shoes at Thom McAn, in the 50's, 60's, and 70's?

Me. In the 70's we got our shoes from Caldor.

[woodbutcher1963]

I bought a pair of Florsheim dress shoes when I got one of my first paychecks after college. Cordovan wing tips. I still have them in the closet.

I know they still make some in the USA and some in China after going bankrupt in the 1990s.

[Osage Orange]

Do not know what those are,,,,,,,,,

[Jamestown1630]

There’s something to be said for quality of design, materials, workmanship.

I buy far less now than I did in the past, because everything is so cheap and boring.

[Responsibility2nd]

All of our malls had a Thom McAn’s.

________________________________________

And that is why there are no more Thom McAn’s.

They died out with the malls.

[ought-six]

I was in high school when Adidas started to make a mark. I wore Adidas for track and Adidas or Rydell for football. For everyday wear I wore Jack Purcell’s.