Hand-sewn shoes by Rancourt & Co.

[ForestForTheTrees]

Rancourt & Co. was mentioned today in the Outerwear section of TFL and I did some searching and was surprised to find that no mention of this company has previously been made on this site. This looks like the appropriate area, and I thought others might like to learn more about these shoes, so here is my story of my experience with Rancourt & Co.:

Rancourt & Co. is run by the father and son team of Mike and Kyle Rancourt in Lewiston, Maine, a town rich in shoemaking history. Shoemaking runs in the family as Mike's father was also in the business. The Rancourt family have started other shoemaking businesses which were bought out by the companies they were contracting with such as Cole Haan and Allen Edmonds. When Allen Edmonds was going to close up their Maine operation Mike Rancourt decided to buy back the business and teamed up with his son Kyle to start making shoes under their own name in addition to those they make on contract. While most of their business still comes from contracts with other better known companies including Ralph Lauren, Timberland, Eastland and of course Allen Edmonds amongst others, the made-to-order business under their own label is also proving to be a great success.

I read about the Rancourts a few years ago. The following year I was with my family visiting relatives in New England and when I was in Maine I contacted the company as we would be passing right through Lewiston. Kyle invited me to come visit the space that they had moved into not long before I found myself visiting the area. They were still getting settled in, but had already begun producing shoes there. Even though they were not manufacturing shoes on the day I stopped by it worked out well as Kyle proceeded to give me a great tour of the production area, taking the time to stop and explain in detail every step involved in making a pair of traditional hand-sewn shoes. Then he and his father sat down with me, telling me more about their history and answering all of the questions that I had about their footwear. I ordered my shoes on the spot without hesitation and when they arrived a short while later (their turnaround is an amazingly short 2-3 weeks) they were everything that I was hoping they would be.

My expectations of a product generally exceed my eventual experience, but that definitely wasn't the case with these shoes. I've owned my Rancourts for almost a year and a half and they've only improved with age, molding to my feet as they were designed to do. These days you can find Rancourt shoes at Brooks Brothers along with an increasing number of small independent shops. It's great to be able to actually see the product in person, but if you can't, their made-to-order program is hard to beat for the price. They can create just about anything you want from the materials that they have available. I now own a pair of the brown chromexcel penny loafers, a pair of the brown chromexcel boat shoes and a pair of the dark brown "buckaroo" ranger mocs. More than likely every pair will outlast me.

If I sound like a salesperson, I apologize. I'm simply a very satisfied customer who likes to see companies like this succeed. Not only does Rancourt make a great product but they are doing so against the odds, avoiding offhshore production, choosing instead to keep production right in their hometown. Kyle Rancourt represents the third generation of shoemaking Rancourts. I like the fact that Rancourt & Co. is part of Lewiston's revitalization efforts and like Kyle, most of their employees also come from families that are from the shoemaking tradition. Such stories are too rare in this day and age.

Here is a more recent story about Rancourt shoes from Maine magazine. For more information I'd suggest visiting the Rancourt & Co. website. I can't recommend their shoes highly enough.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Thanks for posting regarding this shoe company. I am sure there are some that would desire to own some of the shoes made by Rancourt. Myself, after looking at what the different shoe models that they make, I was not really very impressed by their entire line up offered. I am not much of a fan of loafer shoes, or chukka style boots, I did notice a few other boots made but nothing that would move mountains for me to buy them regardless of being hand sewn or not. Please do not take it that my views of the shoes produced are junk, far from it, just not of a style or "model type" I would care to own.

 

[Two Types]

I was surprised to see them list loafers and chukka boots under 'Dress shoes'.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

I have two pairs of shoes from Cole Haan, they are lace up shoes in a style of a boat shoe from their upper line model labeled Cole Haan Resort. Very well made, hand sewn and a bit different than other shoes offered by Cole Haan, I am pondering if these shoes were hand sewn by Rancourt, the material is of a higher quality and heavier made than the average shoe, the finish is much nicer, and is a heavier made shoe all around. These shoes were offered in a variety of non generic colors, light blue, red, off white, black. I have purchased two pair of them for wearing in the summer time.

 

[ForestForTheTrees]

I have two pairs of shoes from Cole Haan, they are lace up shoes in a style of a boat shoe from their upper line model labeled Cole Haan Resort. Very well made, hand sewn and a bit different than other shoes offered by Cole Haan, I am pondering if these shoes were hand sewn by Rancourt, the material is of a higher quality and heavier made than the average shoe, the finish is much nicer, and is a heavier made shoe all around.

I'm not sure how long ago they were making shoes for Cole Haan, but it certainly sounds possible. Somewhere on the Rancourt site they have a list of the hides that they buy and the tanneries where they are sourced from. They use mostly Horween leather out of Chicago, Illinois but also source hides from tanneries in Minnesota as well as Italy and England.

I understand that the footwear Rancourt produces isn't to everyone's taste, but for those who are interested in a more casual shoe, they are hard to beat.

 

[ccc118]

I've been thinking about getting some of the Ranger-mocs once my current shoes wear out. They seem like a pretty good deal. I usually wear a narrow width, so it's difficult to find shoes that fit me.