United States Shoe Corporation

The United States Shoe Corporation was formed in 1931, with the merger of two shoe manufacturers in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Great Depression had led thousands of businesses to close their doors. Remarkably, the United States Shoe Corporation prospered. Over the next several decades, the company acquired shoe manufacturers, and in 1962, the firm branched out into retail sales when it purchased William Hahn and Company.

The United States Shoe Corporation continued to be successful over the next several years. In 1970, the company purchased Casual Corner, a women's apparel firm. The United States Shoe Corporation also purchased Lenscrafter, a company that specializes in eyewear. By the mid 1980s, the United States Shoe Corporation owned 2,267 stores. Of those stores, only 373 specialized in footwear. In 1995, the Luxottica Groups SpA eventually acquired the United States Shoe Corporation and continued to operate many of the original company's business ventures.