Timberland LLC is an American manufacturer and retailer of outdoor footwear, owned by VF Corporation and founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 1952. The company also sells apparel and accessories including watches, eyewear, and leather goods. Timberland's corporate headquarters are located in Stratham, New Hampshire. History In 1952, Nathan Swartz, a shoemaker from Ukraine, bought half-interest in the Abington Shoe Company in Boston, Massachusetts. Swartz and his sons eventually acquired the remaining shares. Through the 1960s the company specialized in making private-label boots and shoes for other brands. In 1969, Abington moved to Newmarket, New Hampshire and focused on producing waterproof boots made with injection molding, capable of withstanding the winters of the region. The Timberland boot was introduced in 1973. Its popularity grew, prompting the Swartzes to discontinue manufacturing for others and concentrate on expanding their own brand. The Abington Shoe Company was renamed The Timberland Company and incorporated in 1978. Jeffrey Swartz, son of Sidney Swartz, joined the company in 1986. The following year the family took the company public. Herman Swartz led the company until he retired in 1986. He was succeeded as CEO by his brother Sidney, who retired in 1998. Jeffrey Swartz succeeded him to become Chief Executive Officer of the company. In June 2011, Timberland signed a definitive takeover agreement with VF Corporation at $43 per share or approximately $2 billion. Products The company is primarily known for its footwear. Notable examples: The "Yellow Boot" is the company's best-known model, now considered iconic. Timberland PRO industrial boots Footwear made with recycled, organic, and renewable materials. Partnerships Timberland has worked with numerous footwear and fashion brands to create one-off models; brands include Supreme, Tommy Hilfiger, Jimmy Choo, Off-White, Beeline, and OVO. In late 2021, Supreme and Timberland collaborated with the MLB team New York Yankees to produce a Yankees-logoed boot. Cultural impact As Timberland boots grew in popularity through the 1980s and 1990s, they were taken up by musicians, hip-hop artists, and other cultural figures, gaining the nickname, "the Air Jordans of boots" and becoming "the required footwear of the inner-urban set". Prominent artists who featured them in songs or music videos included Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., and Jay-Z. Controversy In a 1993 New York Times article about "outdoor" clothing brands' cross-over appeal to Black and Hispanic inner-city youth, Jeffrey Swartz downplayed the importance of the urban youth market in Timberland's success, saying that the