Red Wing Shoe Company (No, Not the Detroit Red Wings)

Whenever I'd see a "Red Wing Shoes" sign outside a store when I was a kid growing up in the Metro Detroit area, I immediately assumed they sold Detroit Red Wing shoes there. Not only are their names almost the same, but their logos are also pretty darn close to being the same. To say the least, I was a confused and curious kid back when. Since then, I've learned a little bit more about these Red Wings...

From the average consumer's perspective, shelling out $100-$300 for a pair of boots can be compared to pulling teeth. I can say that because I am that average consumer; in fact, maybe even below average..? However, after watching these videos from the Red Wing Shoe factory in Red Wing, Minnesota, there's a new appreciation gained for their craftsmanship. Since 1905, the Red Wing Shoe Company has been making boots like these. Back in the day, they produced around 200,000 pairs of boots - mostly for our military and especially during both World Wars. Nowadays, they produce 1.2 million pairs of them between their 3 factory locations in the US. Not bad for a hockey team that also makes shoes. (That's a joke. Don't go telling everyone that the Detroit Red Wings and Red Wing Shoe Company are the same - you'll look stupid if you do. Believe me.) Enjoy this little history/craftsmanship lesson:

This second video is similar but a bit more in-depth about parts of the production specifics. This video was producted by complex.com, whereas the first was created by the Red Wing Shoe Company.