Vans’s Latest Store Collection: A Sneakerhead’s dream come true Vans Store Outline History of Vans Vans was founded in 1966 by Paul Van Doren with three partners. The first Vans store opened in Anaheim California. The store was one of a kind in that it sold shoes directly to the customer and manufactured them on-site. Vans used this business model to offer customers a wide range of styles and colors. The store quickly gained popularity among skateboarders and surfers for its durable and grippy rubber soles, which provided excellent traction on boards. By 1975, Vans had become synonymous in Southern