Paul Van Doren, who founded the Van Doren Rubber Company with his brother Jim, passed away Thursday. Below is the statement from Vans.
“It is with a heavy heart that Vans announces the passing of our co-founder, Paul Van Doren.”
“Paul founded the Van Doren Rubber Company along with his brother Jim, and their partners Gordon Lee, and Serge Delia in Anaheim, California in 1966.”
“Paul was not just an entrepreneur; he was an innovator. The Van Doren Rubber Company was the culmination of a lifetime of experimentation and hard work in the shoe industry. Like Paul, from the first day of business, Vans was uniquely innovative. When the first Vans store opened, there were no stand-alone retail stores just for sneakers. Paul’s bold experiments in product design, distribution, and marketing, along with his knack for numbers, and a genius for efficiency turned Paul’s family shoe business into an all-American success story. Discovered in the late ‘60s by surfers, then skateboarders, and made famous in the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Vans is now a globally recognized brand, synonymous the world over with the creative spirit of Southern California. Not a bad legacy for a blue-collar kid who didn’t finish high school.”
“We send our love and strength to the Van Doren family and the countless Vans Family members who have brought Paul’s legacy to life. Thank you for everything, Paul. You will be sorely missed.”
