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63-501: Famous Footwear began in 1960 with the establishment of a single shoe store, Neil's Factory Shoe Outlet (launched as "Neil's Shoes"), in Madison, Wisconsin . The store was launched by 29-year-old Neil Moldenhauer and was financed by a $ 10,000 loan. In 1963, Neil's Factory Shoe Outlet hired a college student named Brian Cook as a stock boy, a man who later rose up the company ladder to become president of Famous Footwear in 1979. Nearly half

126-509: A leveraged buyout led by longtime employees Dave Orfan and Brian Cook, along with a group of outside investors. Orfan initially assumed the role of president with Cook as executive vice president, a relationship which changed in 1979 when Cook assumed the presidency. The company became an attractive investment opportunity for the St. Louis–based Brown Shoe Company , which acquired the firm and immediately set about planning for rapid expansion. By 1986,

189-483: A "suburban-like feel". The area is also a commercial district, and contains Hilldale Shopping Center , an outdoor shopping center containing restaurants and national retail chains. The Capitol Square Area is Madison's central business district . It is home to high-rise apartments, restaurants, and shopping outlets. It contains several museums and is home to the Wisconsin State Capitol building and

252-566: A center for progressive political activity, protests, and demonstrations, and contemporary Madison is considered the most politically liberal city in Wisconsin. The presence of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, as well as other educational institutions has a significant impact on the economy , culture , and demographics of Madison. As of 2021, Madison is the fastest-growing city in Wisconsin. Madison's economy features

315-489: A century later Cook recalled: "We were one of the first factory outlets in the Midwest .... The store bought all closeouts and was primarily a women's store. The market had never seen anything like that... Most of the stores that shoppers went to were mom-and-pop stores , department stores were all very expensive, not at all like they are today. The market was wide open for big, open formats selling discount product. As

378-461: A greater proportion of annual rainfall, but winter still sees significant precipitation. As of the census of 2020 , the population was 269,840. The population density was 3,391 inhabitants per square mile (1,309.3/km ). There were 126,070 housing units at an average density of 1,584 per square mile (611.6/km ). Ethnically, the population was 8.7% Hispanic or Latino of any race. When grouping both Hispanic and non-Hispanic people together by race,

441-647: A large and growing technology sector, and the Madison area is home to the headquarters of Epic Systems , American Family Insurance , Exact Sciences , Promega , American Girl , Sub-Zero , Lands' End , Spectrum Brands , a regional office for Google , and the University Research Park, as well as many biotechnology and health systems startups. Madison is a popular visitor destination , with tourism generating over $ 1 billion for Dane County's economy in 2018. Before Europeans, humans inhabited

504-439: A large seasonal temperature variance: winter temperatures can be well below freezing, with moderate to occasionally heavy snowfall and temperatures reaching 0 °F or −17.8 °C on 17 mornings annually; high temperatures in summer average in the lower 80s °F (27–28 °C), reaching 90 °F (32.2 °C) on an average 12 afternoons per year, with lower humidity levels than winter but higher than spring. Summer accounts for

567-516: A male householder with no wife present, and 53.3% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.87. The median age in the city was 30.9 years. 17.5 percent of residents were under the age of 18; 19.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31.4% were from 25 to 44; 21.9% were from 45 to 64; and 9.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of

630-524: A new five-store test of an outlet concept called "Mind Body Soul", concentrating on footwear related to the toning and fitness category. Test stores would average 2,000 square feet (190 m) and would initially be launched in Denver , Tulsa , Orlando and Palm Beach, Florida , and Burlington, Massachusetts . Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and

693-405: A result, we started a rapid store expansion program. We ended up putting a lot of little stores out of business.... "Eventually, in the early 1990s, everybody was a discounter. Everyone was opening shoe stores like ours. Everyone copied our concept. We were groundbreaking and very revolutionary at the time, and not very popular with a lot of regular-priced retailers. The name "Famous Footwear"

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756-496: A state in 1848, Madison remained the capital, and the following year it became the site of the University of Wisconsin (now University of Wisconsin–Madison ). The Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad (a predecessor of the Milwaukee Road ) connected to Madison in 1854. Madison incorporated as a city in 1856, with a population of 6,863, leaving the unincorporated remainder as a separate Town of Madison . The original capitol

819-636: A thousand acres (4 km ) of swamp and forest land on the isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona, with the intention of building a city in the Four Lakes region. He purchased 1,261 acres for $ 1,500. When the Wisconsin Territory was created in 1836 the territorial legislature convened in Belmont, Wisconsin . One of the legislature's tasks was to select a permanent location for the territory's capital. Doty lobbied aggressively for Madison as

882-498: Is a central gathering place on Lake Mendota . Memorial Union Terrace is home to uniquely designed "terrace chairs" with a sunburst design that have become a symbol of the city. The Memorial Union hosts concerts, plays, and comedy and is home to multiple restaurants and ice cream shops serving both the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus and the greater city. Henry Vilas Zoo is a 28-acre (11 ha) public zoo owned by Dane County which receives over 750,000 visitors annually. It

945-580: Is home to much of the nightlife of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, as it is the location of several bars and performance venues ranging from comedy clubs to multiple large theaters, including the Overture Center, which features local ballets and Broadway touring casts. State Street is also home to Freakfest , the annual Halloween party in Madison. A newer event on State Street is the Madison Night Market occurring four nights during

1008-586: Is within the city as well; it is connected to the Yahara River chain by Wingra Creek. The Yahara flows into the Rock River , which flows into the Mississippi River . Downtown Madison is located on an isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona. The city's trademark of "Lake, City, Lake" reflects this geography. The city's lowest elevation is the intersection of Regas Road and Corporate Drive on

1071-699: The First Unitarian Society of Madison , makes its home in the historic Unitarian Meeting House, designed by one of its members, Frank Lloyd Wright . The Gates of Heaven Synagogue in James Madison Park is the eighth-oldest-surviving synagogue building in the U.S. Madison is home to the Freedom from Religion Foundation , a non-profit organization that promotes the separation of church and state . There were 53 homicides reported by Madison Police from 2000 to 2009. The highest total

1134-793: The Monona Terrace . The capitol square holds several public events for the city of Madison including the Dane County Farmers' Market , Concerts on the Square , Taste of Madison and Art Fair on the Square . The area's nightlife is served by several bars and live music venues. State Street , which links the University of Wisconsin campus with the Capitol Square, is lined with restaurants, espresso cafes, and shops. Only pedestrians, buses, emergency vehicles, delivery vehicles, and bikes are allowed on State Street. State Street

1197-913: The United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin , and government-adjacent nonprofit organizations and lobbying groups such as CatholicVote.org , the Center for Media and Democracy , Freedom From Religion Foundation , League of Wisconsin Municipalities , and MacIver Institute . Other non-governmental business and research associations and organizations are also based in Madison, including Advanced Media Workflow Association , International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association , Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco , Soil Science Society of America , and Tavern League of Wisconsin . Madison also contains

1260-693: The University of Wisconsin–Madison , a research institution that employs over 25,000 faculty and staff. It is the official state university of Wisconsin and the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System . Madison is home to a large biotech and health information technology scene. Notable companies headquartered in Madison in this field include Epic Systems , Panvera (now part of Invitrogen) , Exact Sciences , and Promega . Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals , Thermo Fischer Scientific, pipette manufacturer Gilson, Catalent , and Fortrea have operations in

1323-488: The seat of Dane County . The population was 269,840 as of the 2020 census , making it the second-most populous city in Wisconsin, after Milwaukee , and the 77th-most populous in the United States. The Madison metropolitan area had a population of 680,796. The city is located on an isthmus and lands surrounding five lakes— Lake Mendota , Lake Monona , Lake Wingra , Lake Kegonsa and Lake Waubesa . Madison

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1386-491: The villages of Maple Bluff and Shorewood Hills . Madison shares borders with its largest suburb, Sun Prairie , and three other suburbs, Middleton , McFarland , and Fitchburg . Other suburbs include the city of Verona and the villages of Cottage Grove , DeForest , and Waunakee as well as Mount Horeb , Oregon , Stoughton , and Cross Plains . According to the United States Census Bureau ,

1449-487: The 1960s and 1970s, the Madison counterculture was centered in the neighborhood of Mifflin and Bassett streets, referred to as "Miffland". The area contained many three-story apartments where students and counterculture youth lived, painted murals, and operated the co-operative grocery store, the Mifflin Street Co-op. Residents of the neighborhood often came into conflict with authorities, particularly during

1512-705: The Arts , and Wisconsin Historical Museum . Madison is home to an extensive network of parks, the most parks and playgrounds per capita of any of the 100 largest U.S. cities, and is considered a bicycle-friendly community . Madison is also home to nine National Historic Landmarks , including several buildings designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright , such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site Jacobs I House . Residents of Madison are known as Madisonians . Madison has long been

1575-1044: The Madison metro area as well as Rock County (Janesville–Beloit metropolitan area) and Sauk County (Baraboo micropolitan area). The population of this region as of the 2020 census was 910,246. Madison is the episcopal see for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison . InterVarsity Christian Fellowship /USA has its headquarters in Madison. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has three churches in Madison: Eastside Lutheran Church, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, and Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel. The Evangelical Lutheran Synod has fifteen churches in Madison, including Grace Lutheran Church, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, and Our Saviour's Lutheran Church. Most American Christian movements are represented in

1638-574: The United States, including 947 Famous Footwear stores and 179 thematically structured outlet stores. Some 26 new stores were launched or were planned to open in 2010. The company indicated a long-term desire to add another 400 to 500 stores. The company indicated that it had plans to close 126 underperforming stores by the end of 2012, approximately matched by planned openings of additional new locations. Famous opened five athletic driven stores named "Mind Body Sole" intending to show manufacturers like Nike, Reebok, Brooks, Asics, Adidas and Mizuno that it had

1701-503: The Waterfront Festival (June), La Fete de Marquette (July), Orton Park Festival (August), and Willy Street Fair (September). The Willy Street neighborhood is a hub for Madison's bohemian culture. Houses lining the street are often painted colorfully, and the area has several murals. Madison, along with the rest of the state, has a humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dfa ), characterized by variable weather patterns and

1764-729: The administration of the Republican mayor Bill Dyke . Dyke was viewed by students as a direct antagonist in efforts to protest the Vietnam War because of his efforts to suppress local protests. The annual Mifflin Street Block Party became a focal point for protest, although by the late 1970s it had become a mainstream community party. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, thousands of students and other citizens took part in anti-Vietnam War marches and demonstrations , with more violent incidents drawing national attention to

1827-504: The area in and around Madison for about 12,000 years. The Ho-Chunk called the region Teejop (pronounced Day-JOPE [J as in Jump]) meaning "land of the four lakes" (Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, and Kegonsa). Numerous effigy mounds , constructed for ceremonial and burial purposes over 1,000 years earlier, dotted the rich prairies around the lakes. Madison's modern origins begin in 1829, when former federal judge James Duane Doty purchased over

1890-528: The area include American Girl , Lands' End , Shopbop , Colony Brands , and John Deere . Supported by naturally fertile soil, Madison's infrastructure supports food production, processing, and distribution. Major employers include Hormel Foods , Del Monte , and Frito-Lay . The meat producer Oscar Mayer was a Madison fixture for decades, and was a family business for many years before being sold to Kraft Foods . Its Madison headquarters and manufacturing facility were shuttered in 2017. The Memorial Union

1953-501: The area's high level of education; 48.2% of Madison's population over the age of 25 holds at least a bachelor's degree. The University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics (UW Health), and Wisconsin state government remain the largest employers in the city, while Epic Systems is the largest private sector employer. The Madison metropolitan area is home to multiple financial services companies, including

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2016-491: The business trend of the price of such items. In 2010, Famous claimed to be dealing with some 800 brands as a company. In that year about 18 percent of the chain's business involved the brands of Famous' parent corporation, Brown Shoe Company (in May 2015 named Caleres ), which include Naturalizer, Dr. Scholl's , Franco Sarto, Sam Edelman and the chain's private label , Connie. In November 2010, Famous Footwear planned to launch

2079-447: The capability to sell these items through commitment to training and customer service. Once these small sales stores were unable to move certain high dollar items, the company would be able to move them into the outlet stores under the assumption of them being clear outs being shifted into the outlets. What happened, though, was that these items were moved into the outlets and the price was placed at or near retail price, regardless of age or

2142-422: The capitol ranged in size from 10,000 to over 100,000 people and lasted for several months. On October 31, 2022, the city of Madison annexed the majority of the remaining Town of Madison . Madison is located in the center of Dane County in south-central Wisconsin, 77 miles (124 km) west of Milwaukee and 122 miles (196 km) northwest of Chicago . Madison completely surrounds the city of Monona , and

2205-586: The chain consisted of 230 stores. In 1990, Famous Footwear opened a 740,000-square-foot (69,000 m) distribution center in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin , near Madison. This was followed by another 800,000-square-foot (74,000 m) distribution center in Lebanon, Tennessee , constructed in 1993. Fueled by Brown Shoe Co. money, the chain had expanded to 722 stores in 44 states by the end of that year. Before 1974, because of its discounting policy, Famous Footwear

2268-498: The city and UW campus. These include: These protests were the subject of the 1979 documentary The War at Home . David Maraniss 's 2004 book, They Marched into Sunlight , incorporated the 1967 Dow protests into a larger Vietnam War narrative. Tom Bates wrote the book Rads on the subject ( ISBN   0-06-092428-4 ). Bates wrote that Dyke's attempt to suppress the annual Mifflin Street Block Party "would take three days, require hundreds of officers on overtime pay, and engulf

2331-600: The city has a total area of 94.03 square miles (243.54 km ), of which 76.79 square miles (198.89 km ) is land and 17.24 square miles (44.65 km ) is water. The city is sometimes described as The City of Four Lakes , comprising the four successive lakes of the Yahara River : Lake Mendota ("Fourth Lake"), Lake Monona ("Third Lake"), Lake Waubesa ("Second Lake") and Lake Kegonsa ("First Lake"), although Waubesa and Kegonsa are not actually in Madison, but just south of it. A fifth smaller lake, Lake Wingra ,

2394-484: The city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female. The Madison metropolitan area , as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget , is the area consisting of Columbia , Dane, Green , and Iowa counties anchored by the city of Madison. As of the 2020 census, the metro area had a population of 680,796. The Madison– Janesville – Beloit combined statistical area consists of the four counties in

2457-490: The city was 71.0% White , 9.5% Asian , 7.4% Black or African American , 0.5% Native American , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 3.8% from other races , and 7.8% from two or more races. The 2020 census population of the city included 548 people incarcerated in adult correctional facilities and 9,909 people in university student housing. According to the American Community Survey estimates for 2016–2020,

2520-434: The city was 78.9 percent white, 7.3 percent black, 0.4 percent American Indian, 7.4 percent Asian, 2.9 percent other races, and 3.1 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.8 percent of the population. There were 102,516 households, of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.1% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had

2583-464: The city, including mainline denominations, evangelical, charismatic and fully independent churches, including an LDS stake . The city also has multiple Sikh Gurdwaras, Hindu temples, three mosques and several synagogues , a community center serving the Baháʼí Faith , a Quaker Meeting House , and a Unity Church congregation. The nation's third largest congregation of Unitarian Universalists ,

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2646-829: The city. The University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics is an important regional teaching hospital and regional trauma center, with strengths in transplant medicine, oncology, digestive disorders, and endocrinology. Other Madison hospitals include St. Mary's Hospital , Meriter Hospital , and the VA Medical Center . Information technology companies in Madison include Broadjam , Zendesk , Full Compass Systems , Raven Software , EatStreet , and TDS Telecom . Madison's community hackerspaces/makerspaces are Sector67, which serves inventors and entrepreneurs, and The Bodgery, which serves hobbyists, artists, and tinkerers. Start up incubators and connectors include StartingBlock, gener8tor and University Research Park. Epic Systems

2709-419: The company's typical business model, which was historically based upon the long margins possible through bulk buying of discontinued products. In the ensuing decades, Famous gradually moved to a more traditional mark-up structure based upon the bulk purchase of current goods, while remaining a leading distributor of closeout branded merchandise. In October 2010, Famous Footwear consisted of 1,126 retail stores in

2772-563: The east side, at 836.9 ft (255.1 m). The highest elevation is located along Pleasant View Road on the far west side of the city, atop a portion of a terminal moraine of the Green Bay Lobe of the Wisconsin glaciation , at 1,190 ft (360 m). Local identity varies throughout Madison, with over 120 officially recognized neighborhood associations, such as the east side Williamson-Marquette Neighborhood. Historically,

2835-534: The headquarters of the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), American Family Insurance , CUNA Mutual Group , and National Guardian Life . The Onion satirical newspaper, as well as the pizza chains Glass Nickel Pizza Company and Rocky Rococo , originated in Madison. As Madison is the state capital of Wisconsin, it is home to the primary offices of most state agencies. It also has multiple federal-level bureaus, such as

2898-403: The median income for a household in the city was $ 67,565, and the median income for a family was $ 96,502. Male full-time workers had a median income of $ 56,618 versus $ 48,760 for female workers. The per capita income for the city was $ 39,595. About 6.0% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over. Of

2961-524: The near east side of Madison. Willy (Williamson) Street contains locally owned shops, restaurants, and entertainment establishments, as well as art galleries, and the Willy Street Co-op . The houses in the Marquette neighborhood fall into two separate historic districts, Third Lake Ridge Historic District and Marquette Bungalow Historic District. The area is also the location of festivals like

3024-403: The new capital, offering buffalo robes to the freezing legislators and choice lots in Madison at discount prices to undecided voters. He had James Slaughter plat two cities in the area, Madison and "The City of Four Lakes", near present-day Middleton . Doty named his city Madison for James Madison , the fourth President of the U.S. who had died on June 28, 1836, and he named the streets for

3087-475: The north, east, and south sides were blue collar while the west side was white collar , and to a certain extent this remains true. Students dominate on the University of Wisconsin campus and to the east into downtown, while to its south and in Shorewood Hills on its west, faculty have been a major presence since those neighborhoods were originally developed. The turning point in Madison's development

3150-423: The other 38 signers of the U.S. Constitution . Although the city existed only on paper, the territorial legislature voted on November 28, 1836, in favor of Madison as its capital, largely because of its location halfway between the new and growing cities around Milwaukee in the east and the long-established strategic post of Prairie du Chien in the west, and between the highly populated lead mining regions in

3213-432: The population age 25 and over, 95.9% were high school graduates or higher and 58.5% had a bachelor's degree or higher. As of the census of 2010, there were 233,209 people, 102,516 households, and 47,824 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,037 inhabitants per square mile (1,172.6/km ). There were 108,843 housing units at an average density of 1,417 per square mile (547.1/km ). The racial makeup of

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3276-447: The sides of Park Street tend to have smaller houses or condos, and a higher density of houses. The Dudgeon-Monroe neighborhood neighbors downtown Madison. It is located around Monroe Street, a commercial area which has local shops, coffee houses, dining and galleries. It is home to a neighborhood jazz fest and Wingra Park, where people can rent paddle boats and canoes at the boathouse on Lake Wingra . The Marquette neighborhood sits on

3339-418: The southwest and Wisconsin's oldest city, Green Bay , in the northeast. The cornerstone for the Wisconsin capitol was laid in 1837, and the legislature first met there in 1838. On October 9, 1839, Kintzing Prichett registered the plat of Madison at the registrar's office of the then-territorial Dane County . Madison was incorporated as a village in 1846, with a population of 626. When Wisconsin became

3402-578: The student community from the nearby Southeast Dorms to Langdon Street's fraternity row. Tear gas hung like heavy fog across the Isthmus." In the fracas, student activist Paul Soglin , then a city alderman , was arrested twice and taken to jail . Soglin was later elected mayor of Madison, serving several times. In early 2011, Madison was the site for large protests against a bill proposed by Governor Scott Walker that abolished almost all collective bargaining for public worker unions. The protests at

3465-502: The west side of Madison, was built and used as a training camp, a military hospital, and a prison camp for captured Confederate soldiers. After the war ended, the Camp Randall site was absorbed into the University of Wisconsin and Camp Randall Stadium was built there in 1917. In 2004 the last vestige of active military training on the site was removed when the stadium renovation replaced a firing range used for ROTC training. In

3528-462: The year. The Park Street Area, located in the south of Madison, contains multiple official neighborhoods, including Burr Oaks and Greenbush. It has been described as the "racially and economically diverse area of Madison". This is especially the case between the Beltline and Wingra Creek. Park Street is home to ethnic restaurants and specialty grocery stores, as well as retail. Residential areas to

3591-407: Was 10 in 2008. Police reported 28 murders from 2010 to 2015, with the highest year being 7 murders in 2011. Madison's economy is marked by the sectors of government, education, information technology and healthcare , and is supplemented by agribusiness , food and precision manufacturing in the greater Madison region. Many businesses are attracted to Madison's skill base, taking advantage of

3654-542: Was based in Madison from 1979 to 2005, when it moved to a larger campus in the nearby Madison suburb of Verona . Other firms include Nordic, Forward Health , and Forte Research Systems. The Madison metropolitan area is home to the headquarters or manufacturing of three notable bicycle brands: Trek , Mongoose , and Pacific Cycle . The area is home to the luxury appliance companies Sub-Zero & Wolf Appliance and Spectrum Brands (formerly Rayovac ). Other advanced manufacturing and consumer goods companies headquartered in

3717-545: Was founded in 1836 and is named after American Founding Father and President James Madison . As the state capital, Madison is home to government chambers including the Wisconsin State Capitol building. The University of Wisconsin–Madison , the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System , is located in the city. Other cultural institutions include the Henry Vilas Zoo , Madison Museum of Contemporary Art , Olbrich Botanical Gardens , Overture Center for

3780-555: Was launched in 1964 when Moldenhauer opened a second store in Cedar Rapids, Iowa . By the end of the 1960s, eight Famous Footwear and Neil's Factory Shoe Outlet stores were in operation, with combined annual revenues approaching $ 1 million. By 1974, all stores in the chain—which then consisted of 15 stores—were unified under the Famous Footwear banner. Ninety percent of the chain was purchased from Moldenhauer that year by

3843-599: Was replaced in 1863 and the second capitol burned in 1904. The current capitol was built between 1906 and 1917. During the Civil War , Madison served as a center of the Union Army in Wisconsin. The intersection of Milwaukee, East Washington, Winnebago, and North Streets is known as Union Corners because a tavern there was the last stop for Union soldiers before heading to fight the Confederates. Camp Randall , on

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3906-468: Was the university's 1954 decision to develop its experimental farm on the western edge of town; since then, the city has grown substantially along suburban lines. The Hilldale area comprises the Hill Farms neighborhood, Sunset Village Neighborhood, and part of the suburb of Shorewood Hills . The area has long winding streets, and according to a planning document issued by the neighborhood association,

3969-427: Was unable to purchase footwear from the two leading athletic shoe giants of the day, Adidas and Puma . Consumer demand for this emerging product category was enormous. In response, Famous Footwear opened up a number of little sporting goods shops called All Star Sports Centers, facilities which were directly promoted by regular Famous stores. The move accelerated the growth of the Famous Footwear chain again, albeit

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