Vans

So here's the thing about Vans-they're basically the shoe that accidentally became a cultural icon. And I mean that in the best way possible.

Back in 1966, Paul and James Van Doren opened a little rubber company in Anaheim, California, with a pretty simple idea: make shoes and sell them directly to customers. No middlemen, no markup, just good shoes at decent prices. They opened the first Vans store on March 16, 1966, at 704 East Broadway in Anaheim, California, where the business manufactured shoes and sold them directly to the public. On opening day, they didn't even have inventory ready-customers literally picked out styles, and the Van Dorens made them on the spot. Talk about custom service.

But here's where it gets interesting. The Van Dorens weren't trying to build a skateboarding empire. They were just making durable canvas shoes with grippy rubber soles. Then local skateboarders discovered them and everything changed. The original Vans skateboard logo was designed in Costa Mesa, California, in the 1970s by Mark Van Doren, son of then-President and co-owner James Van Doren, at age 13, and Mark's interest in skateboarding is what led Vans to manufacture skateboarding shoes. The thick, waffle-pattern soles gave skaters incredible grip-way better than anything else out there.

And that famous checkerboard pattern? Totally organic. The checkerboard pattern, popular in ska and punk culture, was adopted after the company noticed skateboarders drawing it on their shoes. Vans basically said, "Oh, you like drawing that? Cool, we'll make it official." That's the kind of brand awareness you can't manufacture.

The "Off The Wall" motto came from actual skate slang-it's what skaters said when doing tricks in empty pools. In 1976, Vans began using its "Off The Wall" motto, a slang phrase used by skateboarders while doing tricks in empty pools. It perfectly captured the rebellious, creative spirit that Vans has embodied ever since.

Things weren't always smooth though. In 1984, facing heavy competition and a market flooded with Vans counterfeits, Vans lowered its prices and eventually filed for bankruptcy protection, but in 1988, Van Doren and Lee sold the company to banking firm McCown De Leeuw & Co. for US$74.4 million. The counterfeit problem got so bad that U.S. and Mexican governments had to step in. But Vans bounced back, and by 1991, demand was through the roof.

Today, Vans merged with North Carolina-based VF Corporation in 2004, and they're pulling in billions annually. They've got over 450 stores worldwide, sponsor everything from skateboarding to surfing to BMX, and have collaborated with everyone from Supreme to Disney to The Beatles.

What makes Vans special isn't just the shoes-it's that they've stayed true to their roots while evolving with the culture. They didn't chase trends; they let the culture come to them. From Sean Penn wearing checkerboard slip-ons in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" to the "Damn Daniel" meme boosting their sales by 20-30% in 2016, Vans has this uncanny ability to stay relevant without trying too hard.

And honestly? That's pretty Off The Wall.