The Boston area is a hub of the footwear industry: Converse, New Balance, Reebok and more industry giants call the city and surrounding towns their home. Still, most people living here don’t often think about Boston as such a shoe brand hotbed. While it’s easy to overlook some of these companies (especially ones out in the ‘burbs), it’s important to have a grip on who’s making waves out of Boston in both the athletic and lifestyle footwear sectors.

So, what’s the lowdown on some of the biggest brands in Boston’s footwear scene? Some are more prevalent in the city than others, but they still all call this region home. Below, you’ll find a down-and-dirty introduction to the brands that make up Boston’s footwear industry. Get to know them, and expect more to come on these brands in the future.

New Balance

Headquarters: Brighton
Owned by: New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc.
Year founded: 1906 in Boston
Annual sales in 2013: $2.39 billion

In Boston: New Balance, which has maintained a balanced focus on both lifestyle and athletic footwear and apparel, has a strong presence in the city. Its headquarters are within city limits, after all, and can be seen overlooking the Mass Pike heading East into Boston. Over the years, New Balance has sponsored the Pan-Mass Challenge and Head of the Charles, sponsored the newest athletic field on Boston University’s campus, partnered with the DCR to clear the snowy Charles River Esplanade path for runners and released an ongoing series of Boston-themed shoes.

On social media: This year, New Balance launched the #LoveBoston campaign leading up to the 2014 Boston Marathon, the first to follow the tragedy of the 2013 event. New Balance sold “Runners for Boston” T-shirts online to coincide with the campaign, proceeds from which were donated to the One Fund. Watch the campaign video below:

Converse

Headquarters: Currently in North Andover; Converse’s Boston headquarters at Lovejoy Wharf plans to open in April of 2015.
Owned by: Nike, Inc.
Year founded: 1908 in Malden, Mass.
Annual sales in 2013: $1.45 billion

In Boston: As the new Converse headquarters breaks ground near North Station, the company has been making moves to amplify its presence in the city. Converse Rubber Tracks, a Converse-owned recording studio geared toward up-and-coming bands in Brooklyn, partners with artists and studios here in Boston, as well as hosts free shows at local venues. Recently, Converse sent around a gig-shaw pedicab that offered spontaneous free rides to their latest Rubber Tracks Live show that came with lots of free swag.

On social media: Currently, the hashtag #SneakersWould is all over Converse’s Twitter, echoing the brand’s current campaign: “Shoes are boring. Wear sneakers.”

Puma

Headquarters: Westford, Mass. 
Owned by: Puma Group
Year founded: 1948 in Germany
Annual sales in 2013: $3.8 billion

In Boston: Puma has switched its focus from lifestyle apparel back to athletics. Most recently, they’ve sponsored soccer players like Mario Balotelli, golfer Ricky Fowler and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, which lends itself to Boston’s position as a running city. In 2008, Puma released a green and white shoe in honor of the 1970s Celtics championship; the heel of the shoe was emblazoned with the Boston skyline.

On social media: Puma recently ran a Twitter campaign with their new sponsors, generating autographs personalized for Twitter users over photos of the athletes. Since the autographs were automatically generated according to the Twitter account’s first name, however, some trolling ensued, with autographs addressed to things like “cocaine” and “ebola,” rather than fans. Still, Puma’s #ForeverFaster campaign is going strong, regardless of Internet foul play.

Reebok

Headquarters: Canton, Mass.
Owned by: adidas Group
Year founded: 1895 in England
Annual sales in 2013: $2.07 billion

In Boston: Reebok has a deal with CrossFit, and one of the Reebok-branded CrossFit boxes is located in Back Bay. Last year, they also opened the first Reebok FitHub store in South Shore Plaza that doubles as both a place to stock up on fitness gear, as well as a home for free workout classes. Reebok is also the official sponsor of the Boston Bruins, and formerly sponsored the Celtics and New England Revolution.

On social media: Down in New York this September, Reebok launched the #ReebokHDS campaign, which invited Twitter users to tweet their shoe size at them, and then Reebok’s Human Dispatch Service would, literally, run a pair of shoes to the recipient, demonstrating just how fast the shoes can propel you forward.

Saucony

Headquarters: Lexington, Mass.
Owned by: Wolverine Worldwide
Year founded: 1898 in Pennsylvania
Annual sales in 2013: Wolverine’s earnings overall: $2.69 billion

In Boston: Last year, Saucony rose to the number two position in the running specialty channel as its sales increased, second only to Brooks. Here in Boston, the brand has released Boston-themed shoes and apparel on a regular basis. Saucony’s Run For Good Foundation has also helped fight childhood obesity with local organizations, as well as across the country.

On social media: Saucony’s current social media campaign is #FindYourStrong, geared toward runners. On Monday night, the brand hosted the #26StrongChat with California fitness blogger Chic Runner.

Sperry Top-Sider

Headquarters: Lexington, Mass.
Owned by: Wolverine Worldwide
Year founded: 1935 in New England
Annual sales in 2013: Wolverine’s overall earnings: $2.69 billion

In Boston: Sperry is the official boat shoe sponsor of the annual Head of the Charles boating race in Boston, the biggest in the country. Regionally, Sperry has a “Made in Maine” line of boots, hand-stitched in Vacationland. Nationally, Sperry also sponsors the Olympic U.S. Sailing Team.

On social media: Find yourself wearing your Sperry Top-Siders on a particularly awesome day? Snap a pic with the hashtag #TopSiding for a chance to be featured in Sperry’s shoppable gallery. Here’s an example:

Got all that? Whether you cozy up to these brands on social media or pay a visit to their nearby outlet stores (perks of having them in the region), it’s high time to welcome Boston’s bustling footwear industry into your life.

Featured image: Oleg Doroshin/Shutterstock

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story mis-stated Puma’s 2013 revenue. It’s $3.8 billion. 

The Boston area is a hotbed for footwear giants; get to know them.
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