Vans, Inc. is a premier manufacturer of shoes and apparel for a target group of young and active consumers. Vans snowboarding boots and skateboarding sneakers are specifically designed for today's extreme sports culture, and are the footwear of choice among elite athletes worldwide. Through event sponsorships and a chain of skateboarding parks, Vans has made a unique booming in the youth sportswear market. The company's unflagging commitment to tracking the latest trends has put it in an excellent position to grab an even larger market share as it heads into the 21st century. On March 16, 1966 Vans Shoe store was established by Paul Van Doren. There is a wide variety of Vans that play a role in many action sports. Style really started to come in the 1960’s when skateboarding started to become big. Skaters needed a type of shoe that was durable and affordable. Vans wanted to make shoes that were manufactured directly to the public.

Skateboarding was the main reason vans were invented. Skateboarding means a lot of different things too many people. To some people it was just a sport or game. To others skateboarding was there way of life. It was a quick and almost free get away from stress and everyone’s problems. There were different styles of skateboarding and each style used a different type of shoe. There was vert skateboarding which included a huge 12 foot half pipe were pro riders would do all kinds of new tricks that would continue to change the sport and evolve forever. This type of skateboarding usually needed some type of ankle support. Another type of skateboarding was called “park”. This included a huge concrete or wooden park in which skaters from all ages would learn to ride different types of jumps, lips, stair cases and other obstacles. Most riders didn’t need too much ankle support but just needed a shoe that was light and comfortable. The last type of skateboarding was called street. In this type skaters would...