United States Shoe Corporation

The United States Shoe Corporation was formed in 1931, with the merger of two shoe manufacturers in Cincinnati, Ohio. Over the years, the company acquired shoe manufacturers, and in 1962, the firm branched out into retail sales when it purchased William Hahn and Company. In 1970, the company purchased Casual Corner, a women's apparel firm. The company 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.