Eagle Shoe & Boot Co. Closes After 112 Years, Leaving 300 Jobless
Eagle Shoe & Boot Co. Closes After 112 Years, Leaving 300 Jobless...
Eagle Shoe & Boot Company, a 112-year-old American footwear manufacturer, abruptly closed all operations on Thursday, leaving 300 employees without jobs. The sudden shutdown of the Pennsylvania-based company has sparked outcry from workers and local officials, with the news trending nationally as a symbol of declining U.S. manufacturing.
The company notified employees via text message early Thursday morning that its three factories in Scranton, Allentown, and Erie would not reopen. Workers arriving for their shifts found locked gates and posted closure notices. The United Steelworkers Union, which represented Eagle's workforce, called the move "a betrayal" with no prior warning.
Founded in 1914, Eagle specialized in durable work boots worn by generations of factory workers, construction crews, and military personnel. The company had survived the Great Depression and multiple recessions but couldn't overcome rising material costs and foreign competition. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called the closure "devastating" for the state's manufacturing sector.
Local economic analysts note the shutdown will ripple through supply chains, affecting regional tanneries and rubber suppliers. Eagle's signature steel-toe boots had been made exclusively with U.S.-sourced materials since 1942. The company's bankruptcy filing, expected next week, lists $18 million in unpaid supplier debts.
Former employees told reporters they learned about the closure from news alerts before receiving official notice. Many had worked at Eagle for decades, with some families spanning multiple generations at the plants. The United Steelworkers pledged legal action, alleging violations of the WARN Act requiring 60-day notice for mass layoffs.
Eagle's website and social media accounts were taken offline Thursday afternoon. Phone calls to corporate offices went unanswered. The closure comes six months after the company received a $2.3 million state grant to modernize equipment, raising questions about oversight of taxpayer funds.
Google search data shows surging interest in "Eagle Boots alternatives" and "work boot recalls," though no product safety issues have been reported. The company's distinctive red-wing logo boots remain popular on secondary markets, with eBay listings spiking 400% since the announcement.
Pennsylvania's Department of Labor will host emergency job fairs next week for displaced workers. Meanwhile, congressional representatives from affected districts are demanding federal trade intervention, citing Eagle's collapse as evidence of "failed import policies." The White House has not yet commented.
