Norm Henry Shoes

About

Men's & women's stylish footwear. Norm Henry Shoes is a shoe store that provides name brand boots and shoes for work, dress, and play.

Story

Since 1959, Norm Henry Shoes has been part of a 135-year legacy that has proudly served Owosso and the rest of Mid-Michigan comfort, reliability, and honest customer service. In 1873, the Struber Brothers established their shoe store on Main Street in Owosso. For the next fifty years, the Struber brothers operated a successful business providing the community with quality footwear.

In 1923, the Economy Shoes store bought out the Struber brothers and continuted to operate with the same focus on quality service and footwear. In 1948, the Economy Shoe Store relocated to the present-day Norm Henry Shoes location at 119 N. Washington Street. This move was a result of Christian's department store's expansion to include a men's clothing department.

From 1928-1959, Guy Henry, Norm's father, managed the Economy Shoes Store. His wife, Ethel Henry, worked with him until his death in 1959. She continued working in the store until 1980.

Norm Henry worked in the store with his father since 1943. He left the store in 1945 to join the Navy prior to enrolling at Michigan State University in 1947. In 1950, Norm returned to the shoe store to work with his father for nine years until he purchased the store and began operating his own business. In 1963, he decided it was time to expand.

In 1963, Norm opened a shoe store in Durand called Economy Shoes. Three years later, he bought out Hibbs Shoe Store in St. Johns. In 1969, Norm purchased Strands Shoe Store in Ionia. In 1979, he purchased Tom Laportes in the Fashion Square Mall in Saginaw and renamed it Norm Henry Shoes. In 1981, he purchased a property across from the Lansing Mall and started the House of Shoes, which sold the same trusted brand names at discount prices. Another House of Shoes was opened four years later next to Norm Henry Shoes in Owosso.

Today, the flagship Norm Henry Shoes and the House of Shoes in Owosso are the only stores remaining from the one-time seven store chain after the other stores were sold in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Carla Merrill, Norm's daughter, is the current owner of the both stores and has nearly forty years of experience with the company. Today, the store is proud to carry a myriad of well-respected brands such as SAS, Red Wing, Ugg, Florsheim, Rockport, Clarks, Hush Puppies, Merrell, and Naturalizer - just to name a few.