The foundation of Rack Room Shoes was established in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1920 by Phil Levinson, who later passed on to his son-in-law Mort Lerner. The period from 1920 to 1984 was one of moderate growth. However, in 1984, the 22-store company was acquired by the German-based footwear retailer The Deichmann Group, beginning a period of accelerated growth and infrastructure modernization.
