[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 182 (Wednesday, November 30, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S8065]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO RANCOURT & CO. SHOECRAFTERS

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, my home State of Maine boasts 
countless entrepreneurs who are working to ensure that our State and 
Nation have a vibrant, growing economy for years to come. Michael and 
Kyle Rancourt, a dynamic father and son duo, exemplify this vibrant 
entrepreneurial spirit. Through ingenuity and hard work, they have 
developed and maintained a thriving shoemaking business based in the 
central Maine city of Lewiston, which was once a hub for the industry. 
Today I wish to commend and recognize the founders of Rancourt & Co. 
Shoecrafters for their success and commitment to their business and 
local community.
  The Rancourt family has provided superb quality shoes for three 
generations. The family began its business in 1964. However, 11 years 
ago, Mike Rancourt sold the small family shoe business to Allen-
Edmonds, which at the time was its largest client. Soon after, due to a 
struggling economy, the U.S. shoe industry experienced tremendous 
difficulties, and it became necessary for Allen-Edmonds to reduce its 
staff and close the Lewiston factory originally owned by the Rancourts.
  Aware of these developments and reluctant to see the shoe factory 
which provided so many throughout the community with jobs, Michael and 
Kyle Rancourt decided to buy the factory back from Allen-Edmonds in 
2009, reviving their passion for shoe making. The Rancourts began anew 
with just 20 employees but quickly found success in what many 
considered to be a dying domestic industry as more shoe manufacturers 
expanded overseas. A shifting demand for domestically made, quality 
products provided the company with a growing consumer base and a steady 
source of revenue.
  This small business uses resources purchased from around the world to 
hand-make men's dress and casual shoes using the traditional method 
known as ``last.'' This meticulous process involves employees hand-
fitting leather into a shoe form, tacking the leather pieces in place, 
and then hand-stitching them with waxed threads and needles. The result 
of this process is a shoe that is recognized around the world for its 
superior quality and genuine comfort.
  Looking at the new Rancourt & Co. today, it is difficult to imagine 
that it once faced extinction. The company has grown to over 50 
employees today and has increased the number of men's shoes it 
manufactures on a weekly basis from 250 to 1,000. These fine-crafted 
products are sold throughout the United States as well as in 
international locations such as Hong Kong, India, the United Arab 
Emirates, and Japan. This small firm continues to expand, and in July, 
the company launched an online store which already grosses between 
$8,000-$10,000 each week.
  Small businesses like Rancourt & Co. Shoecrafters are critical to the 
economic health of our country and our local communities. During a time 
of heightened global competitiveness, Michael and Kyle Rancourt were 
able to revive and renew their business and compete in an environment 
that many thought was simply too difficult and taxing for domestic 
manufacturers. As a result of their efforts, the company has prospered, 
preserving jobs in a local Maine community while showing the world what 
American small businesses are truly capable of. I congratulate everyone 
at Rancourt & Co. Shoecrafters for their remarkable success and wish 
them many more years of accomplishment.

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