Thom McAn: The Founder

Ward Melville, in collaboration with J. Franklin McElwain, a shoe manufacturer from New Hampshire, founded the Thom McAn brand.

The name drew inspiration from Scottish golfer Thomas McCann.

The inaugural retail store opened its doors in New York in 1922, offering a selection of uncomplicated styles at a fixed, affordable price.

Within five years, the brand expanded to 300 stores, and by 1939, it had a staggering 650 stores.

In 1952, the Melville Corporation acquired the Miles Shoes chain, comprising 151 outlets.

By 1955, the corporation managed 850 stores and operated 12 factories.

In 1960, Melville ignited a new era by establishing Meldisco, a visionary venture dedicated to transforming family shoe departments within self-service discount department stores.

By the late 1960s, Melville claimed the title of the largest shoe retailer in the United States, overseeing 1,400 stores.

Challenges

Despite facing changes in the 1980s, Melville retained its status as the largest footwear retailer in the US.

The company diversified by adding chains such as Chess King, Foxmoor, and CVS Pharmacy.

In 1983, it began phasing out six of its seven footwear factories, and in 1985, it closed 72 outlet stoes.

The acquisition of the athletic shoe chain FootAction occurred in 1988.

By 1992, Thom McAn had reduced its outlets to 730, and Melville announced the closure of 350 stores.

In 1996, all remaining outlets closed, with approximately 100 locations converting to the Footaction USA format.

Melville, shifting its focus to CVS, spun off its remaining footwear operations, including Meldisco, into a new company called Footstar.

Sears & Kmart

Following the closure of retail outlets, Thom McAn shoes found a presence in Kmart stores through Meldisco’s footwear departments.

In 2003, Footstar began selling Thom McAn in 1,500 Walmart stores.

In 2005, Sears Holdings, the parent company of Kmart, established a formal agreement with Footstar, granting the latter the authority to oversee the operation of shoe departments within Kmart stores until 2008.

Subsequently, Sears would purchase the remaining inventory at book value.

In April 2008, Sears Holdings finalized the acquisition of Footstar’s intellectual property, including the Thom McAn brand name.

Thom McAn Trivia

1. Founding Duo: Thom McAn was founded by Ward Melville and J. Franklin McElwain, a New Hampshire shoe manufacturer, in collaboration.
2. Name Inspiration: The brand’s name was inspired by the Scottish golfer Thomas McCann.
3. 1922 Debut: The first Thom McAn retail store opened its doors in New York in 1922, offering a selection of simple styles at a fixed, affordable price.
4. Rapid Expansion: Within just five years of its inception, the company expanded to a remarkable 300 retail stores. By 1939, the number had surged to over 650 stores.
5. Melville Corporation Acquisition: In 1952, the Melville Corporation acquired the Miles Shoes chain, which consisted of 151 outlets. This acquisition significantly contributed to Thom McAn’s growth.
6. Footwear Industry Dominance: By the end of the 1960s, Melville Corporation, Thom McAn’s parent company, had become the largest shoe retailer in the United States, operating a staggering 1,400 stores.
7. Diversification and Acquisitions: In the 1980s, Melville Corporation diversified its portfolio by adding chains like Chess King, Foxmoor, and CVS Pharmacy. Additionally, it acquired the athletic shoe chain FootAction in 1988.
8. Decline in the 1990s: Despite its earlier success, Thom McAn faced a decline in the 1990s, with the number of outlets decreasing to 730 by 1992. Melville Corporation announced the closure of 350 stores in the same year.
9. Footstar Spin-off: As Melville Corporation shifted its focus to CVS, the remaining footwear operations, including Meldisco, were spun off into a new company called Footstar.
10. Sears Holdings Acquisition: In April 2008, Sears Holdings, the owner of Kmart, acquired Footstar’s intellectual property, securing rights to the Thom McAn brand name and marking a significant chapter in the brand’s history.

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