Shoemaker's rise to co-found £2.5bn trainer empire

In 1952, 17-year-old Joe Foster joined his family’s shoe business, J.W. Foster and Sons, founded in 1895 by his grandfather. The company was among the first to mass-produce running shoes but faced challenges over the years. Joe and his brother Jeff sought to expand internationally, and their big break came when their shoes received rave reviews in Runner’s World magazine. Notably, local runners like Ron Hill, who won the Boston Marathon in 1970 while wearing their shoes, helped boost their popularity.

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