Brooks

Brooks Sports, Inc. was founded in 1914 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally making ballet slippers, bathing shoes, and later baseball and football cleats. The company shifted focus to running shoes in the 1970s, riding the jogging boom that transformed the athletic footwear industry. Brooks made a pivotal strategic decision in 2001: under CEO Jim Weber, the brand exited all other sports categories to focus exclusively on running. This "Run Happy" philosophy — designing shoes purely for runners, by runners — proved prescient and set Brooks apart in a market dominated by multi-sport giants.

The brand's engineering-first approach has produced some of the most consistently praised running shoes in the industry. The Adrenaline GTS series, introduced in 1998, pioneered the GuideRails holistic support system — addressing knee and hip alignment rather than just arch support — and remains the best-selling stability running shoe in America. The Ghost series, launched in 2008, set the standard for neutral daily trainers, with each iteration refined through extensive biomechanical research and wear-testing. The Glycerin, with its DNA LOFT super-soft cushioning, offers a premium plush ride that competes with any brand's top-tier offering.

Brooks has carved a unique position as the running specialist. It holds the #1 market share in specialty running retail in the United States and has never chased lifestyle trends, celebrity endorsements, or fashion credibility. Instead, the brand invests deeply in biomechanics research at its Brooks Running Lab in Seattle and sustainability through its "Brooks Running Manifesto" — aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. In an industry where brands constantly pivot, Brooks's focus on running and running alone has made it the most trusted name among serious runners.