Attention stone - Shoe Factory Groenen

Groenen shoe factory (1887-1927) - Grotestraat 69

The "attention stone" is an idea of Steven Woudstra from Schijndel. There are already 250 of these tiles in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The purpose of the attention stones is to make visitors aware of (lost) heritage. Through a QR code on the stones, people are referred to this website, where the bicycle and walking route "On the road in the historic Langstraat" is described. This route runs along 24 tiles in the municipality of Waalwijk.

Waltherus Arnoldus Dumoulin settled in Besoijen with his wife Anna Theresia Hallet from Mol (B). After his death in 1840 the shoe factory was continued by his widow and son Louis, under the name Wed. W.A. Dumoulin & Zn. The shoe factory burned to the ground in the eight of April 6, 1885. The residential house was preserved. Shoe manufacturer Maurits van den Bergh who, upon rebuilding the factory, had taken over the business, decided to move the firm to 's-Hertogenbosch in October 1887. At the end of 1887, shoe manufacturer Joseph Mathieu (Jos) Groenen settled in the vacant shoe factory, opposite the nunnery and the marechausse barracks. As with most shoe factories in the Langstraat, a grocery store was also located here, indicating "forced shopping. Indeed, the workers were practically forced to make their purchases from their patron. Jos Groenen was one of those who in 1895 had taken the lead in a concerted action by the leather industry to improve
of prices. Completely unexpectedly, Jos Groenen died on March 5, 1903 from the effects of a cerebral hemorrhage. The business was continued by his widow and their sons Leo, Jan and Jos junior. In 1913 'N.V. Stoomschoenenfabriek v/h Jos. Groenen' was founded in which Mrs. Groenen and her son Jan participated.

The factory underwent another expansion and the machinery was modernized. When World War I broke out in 1914, the downturn in both domestic and foreign orders was partially offset by the manufacture of military footwear, especially riding boots. Their best-known brand was "Esperanto," a nod to the new world language. Groenen's unwavering commitment to quality during the malaise in the shoe industry in the years after the war, was to no avail. N.V. Stoomschoenenfabriek v/h Jos.

Groenen was discontinued in January 1927. And with that came an end to more than 50 years of Groenen Shoes. Exhibition Jan Groenen himself had already stepped down in 1925 and moved to Antwerp. But not before, as chairman of the 'Exhibitions and Submissions' committee, he had still contributed to the organization of the large 'International Exhibition for the Shoe and Leather Industry' in Waalwijk. This exhibition was organized in honor of the 25th anniversary of the R.K. Union of shoe manufacturers. The Groenen family was sorely missed in the club life of Waalwijk and Besoijen, where they played an active role. Jan was also a member of the town council in Besoijen for 20 years and was alderman in the newly formed municipality of Waalwijk from 1922 to 1925. J.H. Vesters, founder of shoe factory 'Anita', later settled in the building, and from 1963 haberdashery firm Alfons Roxs.