ROCKPORT
An American footwear brand associated with dress-inspired shoes that incorporate lightweight construction, cushioning, and walking-oriented comfort technologies.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
ROCKPORT is an American footwear brand founded in Massachusetts in 1971 by Saul L. Katz and his son, Bruce R. Katz. It developed a distinctive position by combining the appearance and construction of traditional dress and casual shoes with the lightness, cushioning, and support associated with athletic footwear. The brand became particularly associated with walking, presenting walking as a practical and healthy alternative to running and investing in research into the biomechanics of walking to inform shoe design. The brand’s origins trace to the Katz family’s earlier involvement in the American shoe business. Saul Katz had taken control of Hubbard Shoe Company, founded by his father Samuel Katz, but Hubbard ceased operations in 1970 as domestic manufacturers faced growing pressure from lower-cost imports. Saul continued through Highland Import, a surviving subsidiary that imported footwear from Brazil and developed products for American footwear companies. One heavy leather moccasin created through that operation was named after Rockport, Massachusetts. When the shoes began to be copied and described by retailers as “Rockport type,” the Katz family adopted Rockport as the product and company name. Saul and Bruce Katz formally established The Rockport Company in 1971. Rockport initially grew through specialty footwear retailers and a focus on comfort-oriented design. Its Country Walker, introduced in 1973, helped establish the company’s walking footwear identity. Subsequent products, including RocSport, helped popularize a category of lightweight, technology-infused comfort shoes that retained the visual language of traditional footwear. The company supported this positioning with product research, marketing, and public walking initiatives, including the 1984 “Walk for the Health of It” transcontinental walking project. By the mid-1980s Rockport had become a substantial footwear business. Rather than proceed with a planned public offering, the Katz family sold the company to Reebok in 1986. Rockport subsequently operated within the Reebok organization and later became part of the Adidas Group after Adidas acquired Reebok. In 2015, Berkshire Partners and New Balance Holding acquired The Rockport Company from Adidas and combined it with Drydock Footwear to create The Rockport Group. The combined organization included Rockport as well as Aravon, Cobb Hill, and Dunham. The headquarters moved from Canton to Newton, Massachusetts. The company later experienced ownership changes and financial restructuring. Crescent Capital Group, described in contemporary reporting as a major creditor, acquired ownership in 2017. Rockport entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 2018, citing costs and delays connected with separating from its former Adidas ownership structure. Charlesbank Capital Partners purchased the business through the bankruptcy process in July 2018, and the company closed its 60 brick-and-mortar stores shortly afterward. Rockport filed for Chapter 11 protection again in June 2023. In August 2023, Authentic Brands Group acquired the brand. Under Authentic’s ownership, ROCKPORT remains positioned as a comfort-focused footwear label with dress, casual, walking, and boot categories. Its historical brand equities are traditional styling, lightweight construction, walking expertise, and the attempt to bridge formal footwear and athletic comfort.
History
Rockport’s history is rooted in the Katz family’s long involvement in American footwear manufacturing and importing. Samuel Katz founded Hubbard Shoe Company in 1930, and his son Saul later took control of the business. Hubbard operated during the period when American shoe production was still concentrated in domestic factories, but increasing imports from lower-cost manufacturing regions placed intense pressure on U.S. producers. Hubbard ultimately ceased operations in 1970. Saul Katz continued through Highland Import, a Hubbard-related subsidiary based in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Highland imported shoes from Brazil and worked with American footwear businesses on special products. One project involved a substantial leather moccasin inspired by a shoe associated with Rockport, Massachusetts. Saul Katz used “Rockport” as the name for the leather, and the shoes were initially distributed without a formal brand name. Bruce Katz began selling the remaining inventory to small retailers along the U.S. East Coast. After imitators began using the phrase “Rockport type,” the Katz family adopted Rockport as the official brand name. Saul and Bruce Katz formed The Rockport Company in 1971 with $15,000. The business concentrated on footwear that looked more traditional than athletic shoes but attempted to deliver comparable lightness and comfort. The Country Walker, launched in 1973, was an early expression of this strategy. Rockport promoted walking as an accessible form of exercise and invested in research concerning walking biomechanics. Its products helped develop the modern comfort-shoe category, particularly through the RocSport line and later lightweight, technology-oriented models. The company’s marketing reinforced its connection with walking. In 1984, Rockport sponsored a 11,600-mile walk through all 50 states. The project, called “Walk for the Health of It,” involved walkers including Robert Sweetgall and was documented in the film “Walk America!” Such activities helped make walking a recognizable part of Rockport’s brand identity. Rockport remained profitable during its independent period and reached substantial sales by the mid-1980s. Although the company was preparing to go public, the Katz family instead sold it to Reebok in 1986. Bruce Katz stayed on as president for about a year, while Saul Katz remained involved until later retiring. Rockport subsequently became part of the Adidas Group after Adidas acquired Reebok. In 2015, Berkshire Partners and New Balance Holding completed the acquisition of Rockport from Adidas. Rockport was combined with Drydock Footwear, creating The Rockport Group. Drydock contributed the Aravon, Cobb Hill, and Dunham brands, and the corporate headquarters moved from Canton to Newton, Massachusetts. The new group sought to operate a broader portfolio of comfort and specialty footwear brands. Ownership changed again in 2017 when Crescent Capital Group, a major creditor according to contemporary accounts, acquired the business. Rockport filed for Chapter 11 in May 2018, attributing part of its financial difficulty to the expensive and protracted separation from Adidas. Charlesbank Capital Partners bought the business out of bankruptcy in July 2018. The company then closed 60 physical retail stores on July 23, shifting its operating model away from that store base. Rockport entered Chapter 11 for a second time on June 14, 2023. Authentic Brands Group acquired the brand in August 2023. The brand’s long-running identity remains centered on dress and casual footwear that incorporates comfort engineering, lightweight materials, cushioning, and support, with walking and everyday wear as important historical reference points.
- 2023
Authentic Brands Group acquires Rockport
[1]Authentic Brands Group acquired the brand after Rockport entered Chapter 11 protection for a second time.
- 2018
Rockport completes a bankruptcy sale
[1]Charlesbank Capital Partners purchased Rockport out of Chapter 11 proceedings.
- 2015
The Rockport Group is formed
[1]Berkshire Partners and New Balance Holding acquired Rockport from Adidas and combined it with Drydock Footwear.
- 1986
Rockport is acquired by Reebok
[1]The family-owned company was sold to Reebok rather than becoming publicly listed.
- 1984
Walk for the Health of It campaign
[1]Rockport sponsored a 11,600-mile walking project across the United States to promote walking as exercise.
- 1973
Country Walker launches
[1]The Country Walker became Rockport’s first major walking-oriented product and helped define its comfort positioning.
- 1971
The Rockport Company is established
[1]Saul L. Katz and Bruce R. Katz formally established The Rockport Company in Massachusetts.
- 1970
Hubbard ceases operations
[1]Hubbard closed after facing increasing competition from lower-cost imported footwear.
- 1930
Hubbard Shoe Company is founded
[1]Samuel Katz founded Hubbard Shoe Company, the earlier family footwear business from which the Rockport story later developed.
Products and positioning
Mid-premium comfort footwear combining traditional dress and casual styling with lightweight construction, cushioning, and walking-oriented support.
Walking footwear · 1973
Country Walker
Introduced in 1973, Country Walker was an early signature product in Rockport’s walking-focused strategy. It represented the brand’s effort to make footwear for active everyday walking that retained a more conventional shoe appearance rather than resembling a running shoe.
Lightweight comfort footwear
RocSport
RocSport was among the lines that established Rockport’s reputation for lightweight, technology-oriented comfort shoes. Its design direction blended traditional footwear styling with reduced weight and athletic-influenced comfort, helping define a modern category between dress shoes and sports shoes.
Dress comfort footwear
DresSports
DresSports refers to Rockport’s dress-oriented comfort proposition: formal and business-appropriate silhouettes developed with cushioning and everyday wearability in mind. The line expresses the brand’s core promise of combining the visual authority of dress shoes with a more forgiving underfoot experience.
Men's and women's comfort footwear
Total Motion
Total Motion is a Rockport comfort platform associated with dress, casual, and work-ready footwear. The offering extends the brand’s traditional styling while emphasizing flexible construction, cushioning, and support for extended daily use.
Walking and casual footwear
Walkability
Walkability is a walking-oriented product family built around Rockport’s historical association with walking biomechanics and all-day comfort. It is intended for consumers seeking supportive casual shoes that can be used for regular urban or recreational walking.
Marketing campaigns
- 1984Walk for the Health of It
United States
Rockport sponsored an 11,600-mile walk that crossed the United States and passed through every state. Participants, including walking advocate Robert Sweetgall, wore Rockport footwear, and the journey was documented in the film “Walk America!” The initiative connected the brand with walking as an accessible form of exercise.
Outcome. Strengthened Rockport’s association with walking and walking-oriented footwear.
Brand decisions
2023
Transfer ownership to Authentic Brands GroupM&ABackground
Rockport filed for Chapter 11 protection in June 2023 for the second time.
Action taken
Authentic Brands Group acquired the brand in August 2023.
Aftermath
ROCKPORT became part of Authentic Brands Group’s brand portfolio.
2018
Close physical retail stores after bankruptcy acquisitionStrategyBackground
After Rockport entered Chapter 11 and was purchased by Charlesbank Capital Partners, the business reassessed its retail footprint.
Action taken
The company closed 60 brick-and-mortar retail locations on July 23, 2018.
Aftermath
The closure reduced Rockport’s owned physical-store presence following the restructuring.
2015
Combine Rockport with Drydock FootwearM&ABackground
Berkshire Partners and New Balance Holding acquired Rockport from Adidas and sought to create a broader comfort-footwear platform.
Action taken
Rockport was combined with Drydock Footwear to form The Rockport Group, which also included Aravon, Cobb Hill, and Dunham.
Aftermath
The group moved its headquarters from Canton to Newton, Massachusetts and operated multiple footwear brands under one organization.
1986
Sell the company to Reebok instead of pursuing an IPOM&ABackground
Rockport was preparing to become a public company, but the Katz family chose a sale to Reebok.
Action taken
The family transferred ownership to Reebok while retaining Bruce Katz as president for a limited transition period.
Aftermath
Rockport became part of a larger athletic-footwear organization and later entered the Adidas Group through Reebok’s subsequent ownership history.
Recent events
- 2023
Rockport files for Chapter 11 for a second time[1]
Bankruptcy
The company filed for Chapter 11 protection again on June 14, 2023, beginning another restructuring process.
- 2023
Authentic Brands Group acquires Rockport[1]
M&A · Bankruptcy
Authentic Brands Group acquired the Rockport brand during the company’s second bankruptcy process in August 2023.
- 2018
Rockport files for Chapter 11 protection[1]
Bankruptcy
Rockport sought Chapter 11 protection, citing the costly and time-consuming separation from former owner Adidas as a contributing business challenge.
- 2018
Rockport closes its brick-and-mortar stores after bankruptcy sale[1]
Bankruptcy
Following Charlesbank Capital Partners’ purchase of the company out of bankruptcy, Rockport closed 60 physical retail locations.
- 2017
Crescent Capital Group takes ownership position[1]
M&A
Crescent Capital Group, identified in reporting as a major creditor, acquired ownership of Rockport during a period of financial pressure.
- 2015
Berkshire Partners and New Balance acquire Rockport from Adidas[1]
M&A
The Rockport Company was acquired from the Adidas Group and combined with Drydock Footwear, creating The Rockport Group and bringing related brands into the new organization.
- 1986
Rockport is sold to Reebok[1]
M&A
The Katz family sold Rockport to Reebok instead of proceeding with a planned public offering. Bruce Katz remained president for approximately one year after the transaction.
Sources2 sources
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