Allen Edmonds Shoe Corp.
Port Washington
www.allenedmonds.com
Industry: Shoe manufacturing
Innovation: Signature golf shoe
Port Washington-based Allen Edmonds Shoe Corp. has a long-standing history with the game of golf.
Paul Grangaard, the company’s president and chief executive officer, said Allen Edmonds produced shoes for golfers like Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones, founder of the Augusta National Golf Club and co-founder of the Masters Tournament
“We have a lot of history with the game of golf,” Grangaard said. “When we stopped making the golf shoe there were several golf fans, including myself, who were not happy about it.”
In 2011, Allen Edmonds began work on a new line of golf shoes known as the Honors Collection. They soon realized, however, that the price point on the collection was higher and less accessible than they would have liked, he said. “We had the opportunity to team up with golfer Jack Nicklaus for this new signature collection,” Grangaard said. “I’m a huge fan of Jack’s and even growing up I admired him as a true champion whether he came in first or came in second. He’s the kind of guy we wanted to be associated with.”
The new Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Line includes three series of golf shoes – all named after some of the most renowned Nicklaus-designed courses. The collection also includes a number of accessories, such as socks, belts, hats, a glove, cedar shoetrees and coasters.
The shoes were designed for comfort and performance with an innovative patent pending “Stability Rim sole.”
The sole, according to Grangaard, is spike-less so it is easier on the greens, but also provides good traction and stability for the golfer.
The style reflects a more traditional saddle-shoe style and is versatile enough to wear on and off the course.
“It brings convenience to the game and in the style we wanted to bring some tradition back to the game,” Grangaard said.
The new style of golf shoe tends to sway towards a younger, skateboard-looking shoe, said Grangaard.
“We had no intention of introducing something like that,” he said.
The shoes sell for $195 and are available, along with the other products in the line, at specialty golf retailers and Allen Edmonds Stores nationwide.
