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John's Crazy Socks

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John's Crazy Socks
FoundedDecember 9, 2016
Founder
ProductsColorful and fun socks
Websitejohnscrazysocks.com

John's Crazy Socks is a New York-based social enterprise selling socks.[1] It was founded by a father-son duo in 2016[2] and is known for hiring disabled people, donating to charity partners and their customer service.[3][4][5]

History

[edit]

John's Crazy Socks was co-founded by a father-son duo, Mark X. and John Cronin,[6] in Huntington, New York[7] on December 9, 2016.[1][8][9][10][11] John, who has Down syndrome,[12][13] suggested to his father that they go into business together; his first suggestion was a fun store, followed by a food truck. Eventually, they settled on an idea of selling colorful and fun socks,[5][14] which John calls his "crazy socks."[3][8][15][16]

During their first month, John's Crazy Socks delivered 452 orders many by making home deliveries.[17] Within three months, they had grown the business to ship over 10,000 orders and made their first move to Melville. They continue to grow and have shipped over 450,000 orders to 88 different countries out of a new facility in Farmingdale.[7][15]

With 4,000 different socks,[18] the company has been recognized as the world's largest sock store.[19][20]

The company is known for employing disabled people. Co-founder John Cronin has Down syndrome[12] and more than half their employees are disabled. Their advocacy work has seen the founders testify twice before the U.S. Congress and speak at the United Nations.[21]

The company donates five percent of earnings to the Special Olympics,[15][22][23] from the sale of their Sock of the Month club, and creating "Awareness Socks" that raise awareness for causes and money for charity partners like the National Down Syndrome Society, the Autism Society of America,[8][24][25] and the Williams Syndrome Association, among other groups, under their giving back program.[26]

In March 2018, Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush[17] tweeted a photo of himself wearing a pair of Cronin's Down Syndrome Awareness Superhero Socks on World Down Syndrome Day. He also wore a pair of John's Crazy Socks to the funeral of his wife, Barbara Bush.[2][9][27] In 2019, John's Crazy Socks was recognized by Huntington Councilwoman Joan Cergol at a Town Board meeting.[26]

The company is known for the Unity Socks they made urging members of Congress to come together. They introduced those socks at an event with two members of Congress, a Republican and a Democrat. They sent a pair of those socks to every member of Congress.[28][29]

Awards

[edit]
  • Msgr. Thomas G. Hagerty Humanitarian Award in 2018[30]
  • New York Region Entrepreneur of the Year Awards by Ernst & Young in 2019[5][31][32]
  • Winner of a National Accounting Firm's Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in 2019[26]
  • Named as The World's Most Inspirational Social Enterprise by LUXlife Magazine in 2022[3][33]
  • Proclaimed by Huntington Councilman Salvatore Ferro in recognition of National Disability Awareness Month[34]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Father and son build six-figure sock empire". NZ Herald. 2024-01-27. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  2. ^ a b "John's Crazy Socks Founders to give lunchtime talk during Bush School 25th Anniversary Celebration Week". The Bush School of Government & Public Service. 2022-08-30. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  3. ^ a b c DeSantis, Michael (2023-02-02). "LI's John's Crazy Socks Named 'World's Most Inspirational Enterprise' By Magazine". Farmingdale, NY Patch. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  4. ^ "John's Crazy Socks Creates Special Gift Pack To Support Texans Impacted By Winter Storm Disaster - CBS Texas". www.cbsnews.com. 2021-03-10. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  5. ^ a b c Neber, Jacqueline (2019-09-01). "John Cronin Is the First Person with Down Syndrome to Win Entrepreneur of the Year". www.nymetroparents.com. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  6. ^ Starzee, Bernadette (2019-06-06). "John's Crazy Socks named a finalist for EY award | Long Island Business News". Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  7. ^ a b DeSantis, Michael (2022-06-13). "John's Crazy Socks Moves To East Farmingdale". Farmingdale, NY Patch. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  8. ^ a b c "Sock business is booming for man with Down syndrome". ABC News. 2017-05-03. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  9. ^ a b Jacobson, Lindsey (2018-04-26). "President H.W. Bush honored wife with 'crazy socks'". ABC News. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  10. ^ "Man with Down syndrome owns multi-million-dollar sock business". CTVNews. 2018-04-12. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  11. ^ "Social entrepreneurs and founders of John's Crazy Socks spark inspiration in Carleton University students". Sprott School of Business. 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  12. ^ a b Miles, Frank (2019-06-24). "John's Crazy Socks co-founder becomes 1st person with Down syndrome to win major entrepreneurs' award". Fox News. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  13. ^ Venkatraman, Shai (2021-04-26). "Business owner with Down syndrome builds multimillion dollar enterprise in socks!". Newz Hook | Disability News - Changing Attitudes towards Disability. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  14. ^ Cheetham, Joshua (2018-01-16). "Cómo un joven con síndrome de Down creó un negocio millonario a partir de sus extravagantes calcetines". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  15. ^ a b c Cheetham, Joshua (2018-01-13). "The million dollar sock entrepreneur with Down's syndrome". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  16. ^ jeremiah (2022-08-15). "Best Buddies visits John's Crazy Socks". Best Buddies International. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  17. ^ a b Berger, Sarah (2018-10-22). "How this 22-year-old with Down syndrome built a multimillion-dollar business off his love of crazy socks". CNBC. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  18. ^ Goldberg, Jodi (2022-06-13). "John's Crazy Socks opens bigger warehouse". FOX 5 NY. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  19. ^ "Case Study: John's Crazy Socks - The World's Largest Online Sock Store & Card Isle". cardisle.com. 2023-10-17. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  20. ^ Duellick, Alex (2022-05-18). "The World's Largest Sock Store – John's Crazy Socks! — Canadian Retail Solutions Inc". Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  21. ^ "John's Crazy Socks Owners Testify Before Congress On the Importance of Fair Wages for People With Down Syndrome". The Mighty. 2020-08-08. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  22. ^ Fiano-Chesser, Cassy (2019-07-10). "Man with Down syndrome wins prestigious 'Entrepreneur of the Year' award". liveaction.org. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  23. ^ "John's Crazy Socks: Creating New Opportunities | TD Stories". stories.td.com. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  24. ^ "Inspiring Short Documentary About Long Island Company, John's Crazy Socks, Now Available to Watch For Free". longisland.com. 2023-10-08. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  25. ^ Quezada, Veronica (2017-04-25). "How This 21-Year-Old With Down Syndrome Is Making Six Figures Selling Socks". Money. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  26. ^ a b c DeSantis, Michael (2019-08-07). "John's Crazy Socks Honored". Huntington, NY Patch. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  27. ^ McAtee, Paige (2018-04-23). "Bush Honors Wife With Socks Gifted By LI Man With Special Needs". Huntington, NY Patch. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  28. ^ Mannarino, Dan; Rosario, Veronica (2021-03-30). "Entrepreneur calls for unity with crazy socks initiative". PIX11. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  29. ^ Creitz, Charles (2021-04-01). "New York entrepreneur with Down Syndrome wants to unite Congress through socks". Fox News. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  30. ^ "HeartShare Human Services of New York | HeartShare's Spring Gala Takes the 'Dis' Out of Disability". 2018-04-20. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  31. ^ Davidson, Jordan (2023-05-08). "John's Crazy Socks Founder First Person With Down Syndrome to Win Entrepreneur Award". The Mighty. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  32. ^ Neber, Jacqueline (2019-09-01). "John's Crazy Socks Might Win Entrepreneur of the Year Award". www.nymetroparents.com. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  33. ^ "Style & Apparel Awards 2022". www.lux-review.com. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  34. ^ "'Great Joy': John's Crazy Socks Of LI Recognized By Town". Farmingdale, NY Patch. 2023-03-20. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
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