11.   The company has shed poorly performing shoe businesses in the last year and focused on the Casual Male division.

12.   The company cites a competitive market, softness in the athletic shoe business and high rents as reasons for its reorganization.

13.   The company was burdened by its history in the shoe business.

14.   The prospective owner was Wayne Weaver, a Columbus, Ga., native and multimillionaire who earned his fortune in the shoe business.

15.   The Shoe almost a half century before Nike or Adidas or Reebok even existed, announced recently that it was getting out of the shoe manufacturing business.

16.   Well, if the shoe business can be globalized, why not wine?

17.   After the war, he returned to the family shoe business full time.

18.   Following the pleas, Steve Madden officials sought to shore up confidence that the fashion shoe business is moving forward.