What is the exact date the first Vans store opened?

The first Vans store opened on March 16, 1966. It operated as the Van Doren Rubber Company at 704 East Broadway in Anaheim, California.

The opening combined manufacturing and retail in one location: the company made shoes on the premises and sold them directly to customers. That unusual setup helped the founders control production and offer shoes without relying on an established retail network.

On the first morning, 12 customers bought deck shoes. The shoes were made that day and prepared for pickup later, an early example of Vans’ practical, made-to-order approach. The original store’s opening date is sometimes shortened to simply “1966,” but March 16 is the specific date consistently associated with the launch.

The first model was later known as the Authentic and originally carried the number 44. Vans’ early direct-sales model and sticky-soled deck shoes soon attracted Southern California skateboarders, shaping the brand’s later identity.