I have always been a student of history, especially when it comes to the companies and products I use on a daily basis. That’s why I’m going to spend this article discussing the history of one of my favorite companies that makes shoes and boots: Danner. I have a personal interest and love for Danner, which stems primarily from the fact that I have owned several of his boots over the years. Danner is a great company that makes, in my opinion, some of the best boots and footwear on the market today. They are steeped in history and continue the same traditions and practices established by their founder, Charles Danner. In 1932, Charles Danner founded the Danner Shoe Manufacturing Company in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. His mission was to make quality boots and footwear that were affordable for the average American. What I find interesting is that he did this right in the middle of the Great Depression; quite a risky undertaking at the time if you ask me.
Mr. Danner has always believed that a pair of boots should be handcrafted from the finest, highest quality materials. Because of this belief, he moved the Danner Shoe Company and his family to Portland, Oregon in 1936. The reason for this was his discovery that certain types of lumberjack boots were made and sold for $20 in the Pacific Northwest. He concluded that there was a market for high quality boots and footwear and felt that this was a perfect environment for his new venture. It was another risk for Mr. Danner and his company, but it paid off in the end. Beginning in 1936, the Danner Shoe Company continued to grow and expand. After World War II, Danner had built its reputation as a company with extremely high standards. It also carried on its original practices and beliefs of quality craftsmanship established by Charles Danner many years earlier.
In 1957, another big change occurred when Charles Danner passed the reins of the company to his two sons, John and Bill Danner. Several years later, in the 1960s, Bill Danner bought out his brothers’ stake in the company and became the sole owner. The 1960s and 1970s brought even more change to the Danner Shoe Company. Danner began making hiking boots in response to the growing demand and popularity of outdoor activities that were becoming more common. His first mountain boot was the Danner Mountain Light. The Mountain Light was considered revolutionary at the time, and to this day it is considered to be one of the pioneers in the world of mountain boots. One of the biggest breakthroughs came in 1979, when Danner collaborated with WL Gore & Associates to make the first waterproof hiking boot: the Mountain Light.
Danner’s collaboration with WL Gore & Associates laid the foundation for a partnership that continues to this day. Danner underwent another leadership change in 1983, when Eric Merck bought the company. In 1994, the Danner Shoe Company merged with LaCrosse Footwear, another company with a long history of making quality footwear. Danner celebrated his 65th anniversary in 1997, including LaCrosse’s 100th anniversary. Today, Danner’s original mission to make quality handcrafted boots and footwear lives on and on. Danner recently expanded and created its Stumptown line; a line of modern and vintage-inspired boots for style and fashion that look great on the street and on the trails. In addition to its line of hiking boots, Danner also offers a complete line of footwear for military, law enforcement, hunting, work, hunting and outdoor activities.
