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Van's (or Vans) Support Requests - Not always what you'd expect

greghughespdx

Well Known Member
Advertiser
We occasionally get some quite "interesting" emails and calls for product and tech support here at Van's Aircraft. Some of those would probably make you angry if you read them (unfortunately people can be downright nasty sometimes), while others are exactly the opposite.

Here's one from that latter category. :D


Liv - of Jamestown, New York - sent us a package with a hand-written note enclosed, which read:

8/14/20

VANS,

My left shoe is coming apart on the inside by the elastic. Please repair or replace my shoe. I've been a loyal customer for years. I wear a woman's 8.5. Thank you.

Liv (last name and address withheld)
Jamestown, NY

and on the back side of the note:

Please Help Thanks

Now, we know all about - and truly appreciate - loyal customers who have stuck with us over many, many years. We love you all.

So, deep down inside we felt for Liv. Also, the shoes that were enclosed in the package and accompanied the note were clear proof (both visibly and olfactorally, if that's a word) that either the owner was a long-term Vans (Shoes) customer, and/or that these particular shoes are very-well used on a regular basis.

Sidebar: I burn through shoes like no one else, so I empathize. And, I hate it when my favorite shoes wear out. It's a truly sad day when that happens. I've even worn shoes with holes in them (in Oregon, in the rain) because they just wear so well.

Anyhow, we understand where Liv's coming from. And hey, our company names are so similar. We understand why people might get confused. That must be why we go to OSH and see all these kids walking around wearing these fancy t-shirts and we're all like, NOOOOO! ... But hey, in the end we're all on the same team here. Right? We certainly all like checkerboard designs...

Okay, so what to do now? I seriously considered prosealing the shoes back together, which would solve that problem for all eternity, but we know what THAT stuff smells like, so... instead I sent a quick message to the Vans (Shoes - with no apostrophe by the way) customer support team. Then while I waited I did a quick search and found the same shoes that I knew Liv was SUFFERING without, I mean what, running around New York barefoot, for gosh sake! I found the right ones on Kohls, and on sale too! Plus, if I discovered that if I ordered one more pair, I'd get free shipping. Bonus! Turnes out my stepson "needs" new shoes and he especially liked exactly two of their ten thousand designs, one of which was available in his size. DONE DEAL. I ordered the two pairs of shoes, and they're en route now.

The next morning, I get a reply message from the Vans Shoes folks: They're similarly amused and offered to send me a gift card to buy a pair of shoes for myself because I was a nice guy and ordered shoes for Liv. I thanked them, but said that wasn't really necessary, as my shoes don't yet have holes in the bottom of them. Nice folks over there at Vans. And at Van's, too. I have great coworkers.

Also, I can only wonder how often Vans Shoes might get Van's Aircraft customer support requests. I'm guessing not too often, but it could happen! "I dimpled my rudder skin and accidentally slipped and punched a hole in it where there shouldn't be one. Do I need a new part?" The imagination runs wild.

So, just to make sure we're all on the same page:

Van's Aircraft (with an apostrophe): Founded by Dick VanGrunsven and located in Aurora Oregon, our company makes cool airplane kits and parts and other awesomeness.

Vans Shoes (no apostrophe): Founded by Paul Van Doren, James Van Doren, Serge D’Elia, Jim Van Doren and Gordon Lee, their company makes the cool skater shoes I wore when I was a kid, and other various clothing/apparel.

Oh, and we also make some cool clothing and hats and stuff. But not shoes. Check it out: https://bit.ly/3j02knt

---

Seriously though, Liv was a great sport and said to go ahead and feel free to share this, using the first name and town and all that. Good sport. Now to go wash these shoes...

---
 

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I'm impressed the shoes made it to you guys, that took some serious effort! Hats off to Van's and Vans!
 
Of course the fact that the logos looked so similar until our Vans logo changed makes it more confusing. I'm certain I'm not the only one here who has struck up an awkward conversation with a bewildered wearer of a Van's t-shirt or hat.

Love the story. I have a (not van's) shoe that has a hole because of the airplane, resting it up against the tab on the right rudder frame on a long cross country flight.
 
I wore Vans as a kid and then again as an adult when I started flying my Hiperbipe. The HB was so light on the rudder that I needed the thin sole for better feel. Now, I can't fly anything without them. Flying now with even tennis shoes feels like I'm wearing ski boots. Vans are great for flying Van's.
 
Vans

Nicely done Greg, I will wear my Vans hats with pride. I think we should start a trend now- Vans Aircraft hat sightings!
 
I grew up in Southern California, and the Van Dorens lived down the street. Along one wall of their garage, stacked from floor to ceiling, were boxes of Van's shoes. They used to give kids in the neighborhood a free pair from time to time.

Unfortunately for me, I have really skinny feet...so skinny in fact that the neat slip-on shoes that were all the rage back then were too wide for me to wear, so no free shoes for me :(

The Van Dorens were really nice though, so instead of free shoes they would pay me $30.00 to mow the grass in their small front and back yards - that was some serious coin for a kid back around 1980 !!! :D
 
LOL---reminded me of the similarity of logos. When Suzanne and I were in Hawaii for our honeymoon in 2016, we were walking through the Hawaiian village and saw some guys with 'Vans" tee shirts on. Its funny to get the looks from some people when you ask them what RV they have!

Suzanne thought it was funny anyway! And no, they didnt own an RV.

Tom
 
When I fly Young Eagles and explain to them what the airplane is they have a confused look- as they look at the logo on the plane (old one), look down at their feet, look at the airplane, look at me, look at the logo, look at me....
 
+1 on flying my RV in Vans shoes- great tactile feel, won’t wear anything else. I grew up in SoCal, they took me thru high school- just rediscovered them in the past few years!!

Phil
rV10
Bountiful, Utah (KBTF)
 
This thread is hilarious! I always thought it would be fun to get a Vans (shoes) T-shirt just because of the similarity in logos. But after these reviews, I'll have to try their shoes for flying too!
 
Vans shoes are great...I used to go to the store in Costa Mesa, CA to get Vans navy blue tennis shoes for my 89-year-old father. So hard to find the "classic" tennis shoe anywhere else.

I like the old school stuff, but I gravitate toward Adidas Stan Smiths. Nice and narrow, thin sole and great for flying/driving. I'm so glad Adidas (and the buying public) has kept these 1970s icons alive. For actual tennis, I'm sold on ASICS...their gel soles absorb shock so well.
 
I wore Vans as a kid and then again as an adult when I started flying my Hiperbipe. The HB was so light on the rudder that I needed the thin sole for better feel. Now, I can't fly anything without them. Flying now with even tennis shoes feels like I'm wearing ski boots. Vans are great for flying Van's.

Take a look at Puma driving shoes. Perfect footwear for the taildragger tapdance. 👍
 
Maybe this is why so many Vans owners checker board their airplanes!
Wonder how Vans’ (the shoe company) Customer care team responds when a kit builder asks for advice on why their tail is fluttering at 230 knots?
 
No Apostrophe

My wife and kids wanted to surprise me for Christmas because they found a long sleeve t-shirt that had a checkerboard on the sleeves similar to my RV8. It also said VANS across the chest!!! I still chuckle every time I wear it!
 
I have been wearing Vans since I was a 10 year old skate rat in the 70's.

The only shoe I will wear to go flying.
 
Wait wait - grab a Van's Aircraft T shirt and chuck it in too! She can have the matching set!

She better not get a free tshirt!! I bought thousands of dollars of kits and extras from Vans and had to buy my own hat and tshirts:eek: She lives in the same town as me so I told Vans she needs to come to my garage and see what a real Vans product looks like!!
 
shoes

I read this this morning and it was an awesome thing to read I know I am a little company but it makes me very proud to be associated with Vans Aircraft.
 
Slip-on or Lace-up

I'm wondering slip-on or lace-up? Maybe we could start a poll! Looks like these ones were slip-on. :D
 
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