# Whatever happened to Dexter?



## Hector Freemantle (Aug 2, 2008)

I bought 3 pairs of Dexter shoes in 1998 for less than $100 dollars each. I have worn them on a daily basis to the exclusion of virtually anything else and they have been not only comfortable in the extreme but insofaras two pairs are concerned - a black cap toe Derby and a black Oxford brogue - have retained their appearance. The other shoe - a burgundy cap toe Oxford - has fared less well and is now owing to a split just below the cao where the foot bends is about to go out of active service. An internet search reveals that Dexter no longer appear to make shoes like this - they were wahta appeared to be Goodyear welted with leather soles with rubber inserts. Does anyone have the story of what happened to a companty that could make such good shoe at such a reasonable price?


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## red96 (Jun 26, 2007)

I have a pair of circa 1993 Dexter work boots that are still in incredibly great shape. Sadly, in a fit of youthful idiocy about 10 years ago, I ditched a pair of Dexter captoes that seemed too "oldmanish" to me at the time. I'm sure I would really appreciate them today!

You can still buy shoes with the Dexter label, but they are no longer made in Maine, which is where Dexter had its shoe factory for many years. I haven't seen any Dexter-labeled shoes in a few years, but I doubt they are nearly as good as they used to be. I don't have any information on what happened to the actual company, but I believe they closed their Maine facilities because of the same cost pressures that have killed so many other US apparel and footwear manufacturers.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

I sit here sadly in a pair of 12 year-old Dexter boat shoes with oil-tanned uppers. Though I was never a big fan of their dressier oxfords and bluchers, I have quite a few pair of their casual shoes. And apparently all their shoes were possessed of some very fine virtues. But unfortunately, they've become just a name that gets stuck on various OSJ. This has been the fate of all but a few American shoe companies.

Apparently, the founder was something of a visionary, and continued to run the business his way as part of the deal even after it was sold. But when he passed on, the new owners quickly closed down U.S. manufacturing and anything that was characteristic of shoes thus branded passed along with him.

Just went back and checked, and the gentleman's name was Harold Alfond, a sportsman who was also a part owner of The Boston Redsocks. Here's a little about him and Dexter -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Alfond


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## rider (Jan 8, 2004)

quote from a Reuters story -



> But in his annual letter to Berkshire shareholders on Friday, Buffett identified at least one that was worse, from about the same period: Dexter Shoe Co.
> 
> In 1993, Berkshire paid $433 million for the Maine-based company. Rather than use cash, Buffett used Berkshire Class A stock to fund the purchase. That Berkshire stock is worth eight times more now, giving the Omaha, Nebraska-based insurance and investment company a $216 billion market value.
> 
> ...





Flanderian said:


> I sit here sadly in a pair of 12 year-old Dexter boat shoes with oil-tanned uppers. Though I was never a big fan of their dressier oxfords and bluchers, I have quite a few pair of their casual shoes. And apparently all their shoes were possessed of some very fine virtues. But unfortunately, they've become just a name that gets stuck on various OSJ. This has been the fate of all but a few American shoe companies.
> 
> Apparently, the founder was something of a visionary, and continued to run the business his way as part of the deal even after it was sold. But when he passed on, the new owners quickly closed down U.S. manufacturing and anything that was characteristic of shoes thus branded passed along with him.
> 
> ...


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## OH-CPA (Jun 12, 2008)

Some of the Dexter Shoes are made in the USA. Check out the following link

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=69584&highlight=dexter

I am currently considering a penny loafer, but have not pulled the trigger yet.


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## Hector Freemantle (Aug 2, 2008)

Thanks for the contributions and information. Mrs Freemantle is alo a fan of the old Dexter, having a boat shoe in a very soft and comfortable leather which,is as she is light on her feet and almost miraculously never wears down any heel or sole, as fine looking as it was 8 or so years ago.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

I own brown Dexter wingtips. They fit a bit oddly, but are otherwise decent shoes.


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## Green3 (Apr 8, 2008)

Dexter used to be a major name in golf shoes. Than one season, they had a bad batch of glue, and all the shoes came apart. That killed them in the golf market, and I am not sure if that affected the overall operations in any manner. 

They still make some golf shoes, but rank behind FJ, Nike, Etonic, Adidas, Bite and others as well.


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## S. Kelly (Jan 19, 2008)

I bought a pair of Dexter boat shoes (Cape model) and they were the most comfortable shoe I owned. Then, for no reason, the soles began to deteriorate. After 4-5 wearings! I now use them to go and visit my neighbors pool across the street. What a shame, a fine brand put to death!


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

S. Kelly said:


> I bought a pair of Dexter boat shoes (Cape model) and they were the most comfortable shoe I owned. Then, for no reason, the soles began to deteriorate. After 4-5 wearings! I now use them to go and visit my neighbors pool across the street. What a shame, a fine brand put to death!


Were they pre or post Dexter Maine? I have two pair of their boat shoes, neither of which is less than 10 years old. And, surprisingly, neither sole shows much wear, even after all this time.


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## TMMKC (Aug 2, 2007)

Though badly in need of a cleaning, my 15-year-old Dexter white bucks are still some fo my favorite shoes.


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## Guest (Jul 2, 2021)

Hector Freemantle said:


> I bought 3 pairs of Dexter shoes in 1998 for less than $100 dollars each. I have worn them on a daily basis to the exclusion of virtually anything else and they have been not only comfortable in the extreme but insofaras two pairs are concerned - a black cap toe Derby and a black Oxford brogue - have retained their appearance. The other shoe - a burgundy cap toe Oxford - has fared less well and is now owing to a split just below the cao where the foot bends is about to go out of active service. An internet search reveals that Dexter no longer appear to make shoes like this - they were wahta appeared to be Goodyear welted with leather soles with rubber inserts. Does anyone have the story of what happened to a companty that could make such good shoe at such a reasonable price?


 I have an old pair of Dexter golf shoes, probably 40 yrs. old; they came with steel spikes, of course, brown, leather soled w/ a kiltie with a bronze-colored metal "D" attached to it.
The catalog/ lot numbers, size, etc are still very legible inside the Rt. shoe.
I was very impressed with their durability, as I've just bought a new pair of soft FootJoys in late June of '21. 
Would anyone know what yr. these were made, if the numbers inside were given?


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## drpeter (Nov 21, 2008)

I have a bunch of Dexters, including a pair of great boat shoes. They are very serviceable, and with resoling, they can be worn for a long time. Most of mine were picked up from thrift shops, although some of them were in mint condition, worn only slightly. It is indeed sad that a comfortable US-made shoe, at a decent price, is now more or less gone. But manufacturing is slowly getting better overseas, so we may yet be hopeful that newer Dexters might regain the old quality.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

drpeter said:


> I have a bunch of Dexters, including a pair of great boat shoes. They are very serviceable, and with resoling, they can be worn for a long time. Most of mine were picked up from thrift shops, although some of them were in mint condition, worn only slightly. It is indeed sad that a comfortable US-made shoe, at a decent price, is now more or less gone. But manufacturing is slowly getting better overseas, so we may yet be hopeful that newer Dexters might regain the old quality.


13 years after my post above, I still have and wear that same pair of Dexter boat shoes! :icon_cheers:

I don't confuse Dexter shoes with more elaborately constructed and costly shoes but they were remarkable for what they were;. I very much miss them, and Harry Alfond remains a hero of sorts for me for what he accomplished as an industry contrarian.


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2021)

Hector Freemantle said:


> I bought 3 pairs of Dexter shoes in 1998 for less than $100 dollars each. I have worn them on a daily basis to the exclusion of virtually anything else and they have been not only comfortable in the extreme but insofaras two pairs are concerned - a black cap toe Derby and a black Oxford brogue - have retained their appearance. The other shoe - a burgundy cap toe Oxford - has fared less well and is now owing to a split just below the cao where the foot bends is about to go out of active service. An internet search reveals that Dexter no longer appear to make shoes like this - they were wahta appeared to be Goodyear welted with leather soles with rubber inserts. Does anyone have the story of what happened to a companty that could make such good shoe at such a reasonable price?


I sold Dexter, BASS and Timberland shoes - as well as Florsheim and Bostonian's - back in the 70's. That was when they made shoes to last.

I finally threw out my Dexter Sitka hiking boots about 5 years ago, as the leather was literally disintegrating. I wore those boots for over 40 years, and the shanks never broke, and the soles were still intact. None of the stitching (yes, kids - they used to make shoes with double-stitching) had failed, even though the boots had gotten soaked hundreds of times.

My dad - who is 86 - still has the Herman Survivor ankle boots I bought for him in 1980, which cost $85 at THEN (think about THAT with inflation). Everything is throwaway quality now!


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## paxonus (Dec 26, 2016)

Picked up an old pair of wingtips in near new condition on eBay awhile back. Sadly, after about a month, the right shoe developed a clicking noise on every step. I did some research and discovered it was due to a cracked shank, which was unrepairable. Sadly, they went into the bin.


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