The History of Scott Sandals
Scott Sandals Hawaii
Slippers are a ubiquitous of the local wardrobe here in Hawaii. Literally everyone in the state owns at least one pair, and most of us spend the majority of our time in slippers. While people in other places call them by a number of different names, such as flip flops, sandals, and thongs, to us they will always be slippers—and they might as well be the official Hawaii state shoe!
Because our local culture is so important to us here at Hawaiian South Shore—and because we spend all day, every day at the beach, where there’s no reason to wear anything other than slippers—we have long wanted to support and stock a local slipper company. After spending a lot of time researching the various slipper companies based here in Hawaii, we decided to stock Scott Sandals, a local company that has been making quality slippers for 80 years. Scott Sandals are known for their quality and craftsmanship, and come in a variety of different materials, including nylon, leather, vegan leather, and rubber. But many people are unaware of the incredible history behind this brand and the incredible footwear that they create.
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The Scott family originally came to Hawaii for a vacation in 1932, and they didn’t end up going home. Instead, they stayed in Honolulu and opened a shoe factory, shipping 28 tons of machinery out to the islands from their shoe company in Los Angeles. A few months later, the company partnered with Ala Moana Opportunity school to provide job opportunities for young students in Hawaii. The company was up and running, and began making men’s shoes, and then eventually expanded into women’s shoes.
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Material shortages during World War II led the company to rethink its product line, and it eventually discontinued its heavy shoe line and focus solely on slippers. Over the next 60 years, Scott Sandals became a widely recognized brand in Hawaii, to the point that the show Baywatch contracted with them to use both off-the-rack and custom slippers in the show in 1999. Since then, Scott has continued to grow and expand, starting a Tahiti line in 2019 and celebrating its 88th anniversary in 2021.
With so much history behind the brand, it’s no wonder that Scott Sandals have become a lasting presence here in Hawaii. While lots of slipper companies have popped up over the years, and there will always be people who prefer cheap slippers from Foodland, when it comes to high-quality, comfortable casual footwear, Scott Sandals is one of the originals—and their experience shows in ever new pair of slippers they make. That’s why we are excited to welcome Scott Sandals to the Hawaiian South Shore family, and to stock their footwear here at our shop.