Dayton Boot Inc., which has roots in Canada’s logging industry and has become known for its motorcycle styles in recent years, has found new ownership with CEO and former Reebok executive Stephen Encarnacao.
 
Encarnacao, who served in the chief marketing role at Reebok in the 1980s, earlier this month purchased controlling interest in the Vancouver, British Columbia-based boot brand and is positioning the company to double its revenue in 2010.
 
“It’s one of those brands that has equity that is so deep,” Encarnacao told Footwear News, noting that the company got its start with workboots for Canada’s logging industry in the 1940s. “This is about British Columbia and being made in Canada.”
 
Plans for the company, Encarnacao said, include reintroducing workboots and expanding the brand’s categories to include athletic styles and women’s footwear, all of which are expected to be in stores within the coming year.
 
The brand is currently in about 100 doors — including the Dayton Boot flagship in Vancouver — but Encarnacao is making the push to expand distribution across North America, Europe and Asia. In addition to targeting independent retailers such as Harry’s Shoes in New York and The Tannery in Boston, Encarnacao is planning to open branded shops in Los Angeles, New York and Calgary in the coming year.
 
Goals for the next five years include doubling business year-over-year and turning the company into a $50 million to $100 million firm with 50 to 100 employees, Encarnacao said. Currently, the company employs 18 people, most of whom work out of the retail showroom, offices and factory in Vancouver.