Vans shoes were first made and sold on March 16, 1966, when the Van Doren Rubber Company opened its doors in Anaheim, California, debuting what is now known as the Vans Authentic deck shoe.

Quick Scoop

  • Year made: Vans were made in 1966 as custom deck shoes with thick rubber soles for local customers in Southern California.
  • Exact date: The first Vans store and factory opened on March 16, 1966, and the brand began making shoes that same day.
  • Original model: The first style was the Vans #44 deck shoe, now called the Authentic, which became a staple for skaters later on.

A Tiny Origin Story

Back in the mid‑1960s, brothers Paul and Jim Van Doren, along with their partners, set up a small operation in Anaheim where shoes were made in the back and sold directly in the front of the shop. Customers would come in, place an order in the morning, and pick up their freshly made Vans later that same day.

Over time, these early 1966 Vans models, with their grippy waffle soles and sturdy canvas, evolved from simple deck shoes into an icon of skate and street culture around the world.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.