Kinney Shoes

Kinney Shoes was a national chain of shoe stores and a subsidiary of Woolworth's, that operated from 1894-1998.
==History==
Kinney Shoes began in 1894 with the acquisiton of a Lester Shoe Company outlet in Waverly, NY that George Kinney had worked at as a clerk for 10 years prior.
In the 1920s, Kinney Shoes began their own shoe manufacturing, and by 1929 they had opened a total of 362 stores.
As the 1950s began, Kinney Shoes expanded with the American suburbs, becoming a common tenant in new shopping centers and malls across the country. In 1956, Kinney Shoes saught a merger with the Brown Shoe Company, then the third largest shoe retailer in the United States
However, in 1962 the Supreme Court upheld a ruling that alleged the Kinney-Brown merger would create a monopoly, and the merger was put to rest. In 1963, Kinney Shoes was acquired by F.W. Woolworth, however the company remained largely autonomous as a subsidiary, with it's own board of directors and board of corporate officers. In 1967, Kinney Shoes' started their first new division, Stylco, followed by Susie Casuals in 1968.
1974 saw the creation of Kinney Shoes' most recognizable division, Foot Locker.
In 1994, Kinney Shoes celebrated their centennial. At this time, they operated more than 4,500 stores across all banners, primarily Foot Locker, and contributed 60% of the profits of the entire Woolworth organization. In 1997, F.W. Woolworth, with the ending of traditional Woolworth retail operations, was renamed Venator Group as they shifted their focus towards sporting goods and footwear. In 1998, Venator Group announced the closure of all 467 Kinney Shoes stores. 
Category:Defunct retailers
Category:Defunct Mall Retailers
Category:Shoe stores