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Checkered Past

In 1966, Paul Van Doren opened a small shop in Anahem, California, selling simple rubber and canvas shoes. On his first day he sold a dozen, which were made to order since there was no back stock yet. Within a few years, skateboarders the world over would be sporting the sticky-soled kicks and Vans would become something of a sub-culture status symbol. The story of this iconic American brand is celebrated in "Vans: Off the Wall: Stories of Sole from Vans Originals," out today. Like opening a time capsule, the glossy tome is packed with vivid photography and firsthand accounts from legends of sports and music, along with personal stories from Van Doren's son, Steve—a lifelong employee and the designer behind Spicoli's famous checkerboard slip-ons.

$25, at Amazon

The price of a pair of Vans in 1966.