Converse

Founded in 1908, American Shoe Manufacturing company Converse initially started as a shoe manufacturer but turned to specializing in athletic shoes. They were purchased by Nike in 2003. Until the 70’s converse had a monopoly in the the athletic shoe market until several competitors entered the space and increased their market share. Converse is now more aligned with smaller niche sports like Skateboarding. Converse shoes are available in over 100 stores and can be found worldwide though some variations are only available in the US.