Thorogood in Staten Island is at Quazi Supply, 519 Port Richmond Avenue, 10302. Open every day 11 to 8. We carry the American Heritage 814 moc-toe wedge in 6-inch and 8-inch, the Gen-Flex II series, and the USA-Made 6-inch safety-toe. The wall is in the back left as you walk in — past the Carhartt — and yes, the boots smell like a Wisconsin tannery when the box opens.
The reason we stock Thorogood is union electricians and union plumbers who walk in and ask for it specifically. Thorogood is made in Merrill, Wisconsin by USW Local 2-386 — a real American-made boot, sewn and lasted by a unionized workforce, not a brand that paints 'American' on a Vietnam-built shoe. The IBEW guys, the Local 1 plumbers, and the Local 79 carpenters who care about that part of the supply chain ask for Thorogood and almost nothing else. We stock for them.
The 814-4200 American Heritage moc-toe wedge is the SKU. Soft toe (no cap), Goodyear-welted, full-grain leather upper in tobacco oil-tan, MAXwear wedge outsole that's flat and grippy on a clean wood subfloor. It's the boot the finish carpenters want because the wedge doesn't dig into a hardwood floor and the leather molds to the foot in a week. It's the boot a lot of off-duty cops and firefighters wear too, which is why we keep the 6-inch in size 9 through 12 stacked at all times.
Gen-Flex II is the lighter, more athletic side of the line. Composite or steel toe, waterproof versions, an EVA midsole that gives back what the heritage line takes. If you walked in TPro Boondocks for ten years and you want to try something American-made without losing the cushion, the Gen-Flex II is the conversation. We sell a lot of these to electricians who like the soft-toe moc-toe shape but need a composite toe for the spec on a commercial job.
The USA-Made 6-inch safety-toe is the other anchor. ASTM steel or composite, EH-rated, Goodyear-welted, real American supply chain top to bottom. It's not the cheapest boot at $230-$280 but it's the one we'll stand behind for a journeyman who wants three years out of one pair.
"Thorogood is sewn and lasted by USW Local 2-386 in Merrill, Wisconsin. That's the reason it's on our wall."
Fit reality: Thorogood runs slightly narrow at the heel and true-to-size in the toe. If you have a wide foot ask for the wide width — the moc-toe in EE is on our wall. The 814 wedge has zero arch support out of the box; throw a Superfeet green or a Powerstep in there day one if you have any high-arch issue. Break-in on the heritage line is mild compared to a Red Wing — three to five days of normal wear and the leather is on your side.
Trades that ask for Thorogood by name: IBEW Local 3 electricians (more than any other trade we serve), carpenters' Local 157 and 926, finish carpenters and trim guys who don't want a steel toe digging into their foot all day, off-duty cops and corrections officers, and a quiet contingent of mechanics who like the wedge for the shop floor.
We do screen-print and embroidery on Thorogood-branded apparel and on whatever blank tee you want a Thorogood logo on (not officially licensed — we'll embroider 'Local 2-386' or your local number on a beanie if you want, no minimums). Custom printing is in-house, no third party.
Walk in. 519 Port Richmond Ave, between Heberton and Park. If you've never tried a Thorogood and you want to know whether the wedge is right for you, we'll bring you a Pit Boss and an 814 to compare side by side. Five minutes on the rug and you'll know.
American-made boot, union shop, Wisconsin tannery. We stock it because our customers ask for it. If you're in that camp, you know where the wall is.