Shoe Companies
Agnew Group Inc.
John Agnew opened a small shoe store in Brantford in 1876. John and Frank Bauslaugh, relatives of John Agnew, joined the business with Frank running the warehouse in Brantford while John opened branches in other Ontario cities. John Bauslaugh became the president of the business in 1916 when John Agnew retired. In 1928 the company had more than 20 stores in western Ontario when it amalgamated with Surpass Shoe Stores and the John Ritchie Company of Quebec City and the name was changed to Agnew-Surpass Shoe Stores Limited. An explosion during the noon hour which blew out all of the windows at the store at 166 Colborne Street resulted in a fire (Brantford Expositor, November 4, 1958). The interior of the store was destroyed and all of the stock was lost. Several people were injured and there was heavy water and smoke damage to the stores on either side. Genesco Inc. of Nashville, Tennessee bought controlling interest in the company in 1961. In 1964 a new head office and warehouse was opened at 298 Park Road North to replace the smaller one at 100 Elgin Street. Surpass was dropped from the company’s name in the 1970s. Agnew Group Inc. moved its head office and distribution centre to London, Ontario in 1992. The company declared bankruptcy in 1996. In 2000 the remaining Agnew Shoe stores were closed.
Brandon Shoe Company
Alexander Brandon started the Brandon Shoe Company in Alymer, Ontario in 1907. He relocated to 125 Pearl Street in Brantford after a fire destroyed his factory in Aylmer. He expanded the Brantford factory several times and was manufacturing 800 pairs of shoes a day including the Brandon, Monarch, and Dr. Brandon Cushion Shoe lines. The building, machinery, and stock were destroyed by fire in the early morning hours of March 25, 1923 (Brantford Expositor, March 26, 1923, p. 1). Loss was estimated at more than $200,000 and a vacant house adjoining the shoe factory was also destroyed but firemen managed to save other nearby homes. The factory was not rebuilt after the fire and 80 people were left unemployed.
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