The Founding Era · 1906–1929
George Roderer Opens His Doors
A German immigrant turns shoemaking into a Dayton institution.
Button boots & high-top oxfords
An immigrant from the foothills of the German Alps, George Roderer Sr. arrived in Dayton with a shoemaker's hands and an unwavering belief that every customer deserved a proper fit. What started as a craftsman's trade became a community cornerstone — a place where people came not just for shoes, but for expertise and genuine care.
A Neighborhood Institution
Word spreads — George knows feet better than anyone in Dayton.
Congress gaiters & lace-up work boots
In an era when most shoes were still handcrafted, Roderer's reputation for expert fitting spread block by block through Dayton's neighborhoods. Families would make the trip across town knowing they'd leave with shoes that actually fit — a rarity in a time before standardized sizing.
Surviving the Roaring Twenties
Mass-produced shoes flood the market. Roderer doubles down on expertise.
T-strap heels & spectator oxfords
As factory-made shoes became cheaper and more widely available, smaller specialty retailers faced real pressure. Roderer's answer was the same then as it is today: you can buy shoes anywhere, but you can only get a proper fit here. That philosophy kept customers loyal through the boom — and through what came next.
Resilience & Growth · 1930–1959
Keeping Dayton on Its Feet
Through the Depression, quality and care become non-negotiables.
Sturdy brogues & Mary Jane school shoes
When the Great Depression hit, families couldn't afford to waste money on shoes that didn't last. Roderer's commitment to durable, well-fitted footwear made the store more valuable than ever. People came in knowing they'd get it right the first time — no returns, no blisters, no wasted dollars.
The War Years
Leather rationing tests the store. The next generation starts learning the craft.
Wedge sandals & platform shoes emerge
Wartime rationing meant leather was scarce and shoe styles had to adapt. But Roderer adapted too — finding creative solutions for customers and ensuring every pair that left the store was worth its wartime price. The second generation of the Roderer family began working alongside George, learning the trade that would carry the family forward.
Postwar Prosperity & Kettering
Dayton booms. Families move to the suburbs — and Roderer follows.
Saddle shoes, penny loafers & pointed pumps
The postwar boom transformed the Dayton area. Families flocked to the suburbs, and Kettering grew into a thriving community. Roderer put down roots there and became part of the neighborhood fabric — the place you took your kids for their first school shoes, where mom found her church heels, and dad got his work boots resoled.
New Generations · 1960–1989
Counterculture & Comfort
Go-go boots to Earth shoes — Roderer adapts without losing its footing.
Go-go boots, Earth shoes & platforms
The sixties rewrote fashion from the ground up — literally. Hemlines rose, heels changed, and an entirely new generation of shoe styles flooded the market. Roderer moved with it, stocking styles that reflected the times while holding firm to the belief that fashion and fit were never mutually exclusive.
The Running Revolution
America discovers jogging. Roderer discovers athletic footwear fitting.
New Balance & early Nike running shoes
The 1970s running boom changed everything. Suddenly, people cared deeply about how their athletic shoes fit — and Roderer was ready. The store began stocking performance brands and training staff to fit runners properly, laying the groundwork for the expertise-driven model that defines the store today.
Specialty Fitting Takes Root
Big-box stores multiply. Roderer leans into what they do best.
Aerobics shoes & wide-width walking shoes
As national chains opened locations across Dayton, Roderer made a deliberate choice: go deeper, not broader. Hard-to-fit widths, orthopedic knowledge, and the sit-and-fit experience became the store's calling card — things no big-box retailer could replicate with undertrained staff and self-service shelving.
Into the Modern Era · 1990–2009
Pedorthic Expertise
Roderer becomes the regional go-to for adaptive and therapeutic footwear.
Orthopedic classics & Birkenstocks arrive
The nineties cemented Roderer's reputation for serving customers with serious foot needs — AFO-compatible styles, orthotic-friendly lasts, wide and extra-wide widths that the chains simply didn't carry. Staff received pedorthic training that few independent retailers could match, and word spread through the medical community as well as the general public.
A Century Approaches
Online retail rises. Chris & Emily begin shaping the store's future.
Hoka & Brooks usher in the comfort revolution
As e-commerce began reshaping retail, independent shoe stores faced an existential question. Roderer's answer was to invest even more deeply in what the internet couldn't offer: expert hands, trained eyes, and a staff that genuinely cared. The fifth generation — Chris and Emily Roderer — began taking ownership of the store's direction and its future.
The Next Chapter · 2010–2026
Chris & Emily Carry It Forward
Fifth generation. Same values. New energy.
Athleisure, wide-fit runners & therapeutic sandals
Chris and Emily Roderer took the helm with a clear vision: honor what George started while building for the next 100 years. Signature brands like New Balance, Hoka, Birkenstock, and Stride Rite defined the floor. And the sit-and-fit experience — the one that started it all — remained the heart of every customer interaction.
Digital & In-Store, United
A full eCommerce launch brings Roderer's expertise online.
Max-cushion shoes & functional first walkers
Roderer launched a complete eCommerce operation — bringing the same care and curation that customers knew from the store to a digital experience. The results proved that the personal touch translates: 79% year-over-year net sales growth, and a 116% improvement in conversion rate. George's values, scaled for a new century.
120 Years & Counting
A century-and-then-some of putting the right shoe on the right foot.
Here's to the next 120 years!
From a German immigrant's shoemaking bench to five generations of family stewardship — Roderer Shoe Center turns 120 in 2026. The store that George built on expertise, care, and the belief that the shoe is only as good as the fit has outlasted trends, recessions, world wars, and the internet. Some things are simply irreplaceable.
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"The shoe is only as good as the fit."
— Roderer Shoe Center, est. 1906 · Kettering, Ohio
