1950‘s
-1960‘s
1959
Believing the shoe factory to be outdated and on the road to closing as other production facilites in the country had, remaining founder Bill (William) Brooks sold the company to Irving Drew Shoes Co. in Lancaster, Ohio.
John Brooks wanted to buy it but was turned down because he didn’t have the money and Bill thought it was a lost cause that John would later regret.
1960's
Footwear manufacturing in the US was failing, going overseas to China. In 1960 4% of the shoes were imported. That jumped to 47% by 1976.
