Giant boot puts spotlight on Red Wing Shoe store

If Paul Bunyan ever needed a new pair of boots, Red Wing Shoe Co. would already have the job half done.

The boot, displayed in the Shoe's factory store in downtown Red Wing, is 16 feet high, 20 feet long and 7 feet wide.

"To give you some sense of scale, it would be way too big for the Statue of Liberty to wear," Red Wing Shoe Co. President Dave Murphy said.

On July 24, 2009, the boot was paraded through downtown Red Wing in an effort to promote the Shoe's new flagship store at 315 Main St.

Created in 2005 as a way to celebrate the company's 100 anniversary, the boot toured the country visiting county fairs for the next two years and other events before going into storage.

On its tour through Red Wing, the boot started down Potter Street then traveled south to West Fourth Street, then onto Bush Street and over to Main Street to its new home.

"Since 1905, Main Street has been home to the Red Wing Shoe Co.," Murphy said. "The new store will generate a lot of visitors and hopefully a lot of business for the Red Wing community."

Shoe officials believe the boot and the new store will be a boon for the local economy. They expect them to attract 48,000 visitors a year. The company spent $1.25 million on the new store, which opened in late summer. Government agencies contributed $300,000 to the project for an elevator.

The store serves as a museum, with displays outlining the company's history, Murphy said, including original Shoe advertisements created by Norman Rockwell.

Admission to the museum is free. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

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