Brown Shoe to Rebrand Itself as Caleres

One of St. Louis' oldest public companies, Brown Shoe, is stepping out with a new name, Caleres. Brown has been part of the corporate name since the company's founding in 1878. Next month, however, that name will be dropped once shareholders approve the change on May 28. "Brown Shoe doesn't conjure up the image of who we are today," Brown Shoe's CEO, president and chairwoman Diane Sullivan said in an interview. "Our name has to be more than a name — it must be managed as a brand. It's hard to be emotional about a brown shoe."