New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc., or New Balance, is an American shoe company specializing in athletic footwear. Founded in 1906 in Boston, New Balance has since grown to become one of the world's largest footwear manufacturers. With the majority of its production occurring in facilities in Maine and Massachusetts, New Balance is one of the only major footwear companies with products manufactured primarily in the U.S.
New Balance Arch Support Company
William J. Riley, an English immigrant to the U.S., founded the New Balance Arch Support Company in 1906 in Boston. His three-point flexible arch supports were designed to emulate a chicken's three-toed foot, which Riley believed to lend the bird perfect balance. To help expand his arch support company, Riley hired Arthur Hall in 1927 as a salesman. Though the company experienced success following Hall's hiring, the Great Depression led to a 75 percent reduction in sales between 1931 and 1933. In an effort to keep the company afloat, Hall was officially made Riley's business partner in 1933.
New Balance Shoes
The first New Balance running shoe, designed and manufactured by Riley, was produced for a Boston running club in 1938. Made from kangaroo leather, Riley made six pairs in total for the club. Despite the introduction of the New Balance shoe, the company's focus on manufacturing arch support remained relatively unchanged until the 1950s.
Riley's Retirement and Shift of Focus
Following Riley's retirement in 1950, Hall assumed control of the New Balance Arch Support Company. Hall's tenure as sole head of the company lasted only briefly, with the company sold to Eleanor and Paul Kidd for $10,000 in 1954. Under new ownership, New Balance rapidly began to shift its focus toward the manufacturing of orthopaedic shoes. To help reflect the company's shift of focus, New Balance was officially renamed the New Balance Orthopaedic Laboratory in 1956.
New Balance Trackster
After years of experimenting with different fits, Eleanor and Paul designed and produced the Trackster in 1960. With runners' varying needs in mind, the Trackster was marketed as the world's first performance running shoe to be made in multiple different widths. Not only was the Trackster an innovation, but it became New Balance's first major success. Following the success of the Trackster, New Balance ceased production on arch supports and orthopaedic shoes in 1963.
Founder of New Balance Shoes
While the New Balance company was founded and its first shoe designed and manufactured by William J. Riley, the company's focus for the duration of his control was on the production of arch supports. Under Eleanor and Paul Kidd, the company officially became an athletic shoe manufacturer in both name and production. As such, the founder of the company may be disputed, with both Riley and the Kidds responsible for the modern New Balance Athletic Shoe company.
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