Thorogood Work
In the late 1880's, from the back of his father's Milwaukee cobbler shop, a young Albert Weinbrenner set out to design specialized work boots for the new trade of telephone lineman working around the state of Wisconsin installing private and public exchanges. He was successful.
These first specialized work boots, designed to allow the lineman to securely grip telephone poles with their legs (and hold on tight) were called "jobber" boots; appearing first around 1892. Popularity for Weinbrenner's jobber boots spread quickly in trade circles and by 1905, Albert's occupational safety footwear was being distributed nationally.
Today, over 120 years later, Albert's company, The Weinbrenner Shoe Company, is still the leading manufacturer and pioneering force in the occupational footwear industry. The Thorogood brand, first introduced in 1918, has grown into the company's premiere collection - including both safety and non-safety styles designed for all varieties of occupational and safety requirements - delivering comfort, fit, safety and performance in every pair of men and womens work boots made.