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Vans is a Southern California based manufacturer of sneakers, skate shoes and other shoe types catering primarily to the active youth market. Founded on March 15, 1966 by Paul Van Doren in Southern California, it was originally known as Van Doren Rubber Company. In the beginning, Vans designed the shoes with solely diamonds, as seen on the top and bottom of the soles. Later on, the middle part of each shoe was falling apart/cracking because it was the most walked upon and used during skateboarding. Vans later decided to add in vertical lines in order to increase friction and grip. This was then officially named the "waffle-sole". They market heavily in the surfing, skateboarding, and punk rock areas. In more recent years, Vans has marketed additional items such as clothing and skateboarding accessories.

In the 1980s, Vans lost much of its core customer base when the company started producing baseball and football shoes. The corporation was forced into bankruptcy in 1984 . Four years after emerging from bankruptcy protection, investment bankers McCown DeLeeuw Company bought Vans and went public in 1991.

Vans had opened retail stores containing large indoor skate parks, with the first location opening in 1998 at The Block at Orange. This skate park as well as the one in Orlando are the only two that remain open. Former locations of Vans skate parks include Ontario Mills, The Great Mall of the Bay Area in Milpitas, Moorestown Mall, the Plaza at King of Prussia, Carnaby Street in London, and Potomac Mills.

In 2004 the company was acquired by VF Corporation, manufacturers of Lee and Wrangler Jeans for $396 million.

Vans also sponsors the Vans Warped Tour, a pop punk/ska music and extreme sports festival since 1995 .

Vans are most popular for their shoes and trainers. They are highly popular with the rock/skate scenes, and also the emo scene and in recent years the bay area hip hop scene. They have been popularized by hip hop group The Pack. Vans have also become popular over the last 2 years for re-introducing the slip-on range.

The pop punk/ska band The Suicide Machines wrote "The Vans Song" as a tribute to how much they love wearing Vans.

• Geoff Rowley
• Dustin Dollin
• Bucky Lasek
• Anthony Van Engelen
• Ray Barbee
• Scott Kane
• Dylan Rieder
• Johnny Layton
• Flo Marfaing
• Tony Trujillo

Amateur team

• Chima Ferguson
• Van Wastell
• Andrew Allen
• Angel Ramirez
• Logan Torres
• Keegan Sauder
• Jon Goemann
• Nick Trapasso

• Vans website
• History of Vans
• Rebutting the antisemitic rumors
• Anti-defamation league rebuttal to the anti-semitic rumors smelly