Buster Brown Bilt Club

Illustration of the head and shoulders of a child in a blue outfit and red hat next to a brown dog on a white background with black text at top and bottom

The Brownbilt Club was a rewards club for customers who purchased Buster Brown shoes. In the 1930s, newspapers advertised special deals and ways to earn points and rewards. For every dollar a customer spent, they earned one credit toward a Brownbilt Club Prize, and customer points were recorded on a club member card kept at the shoe store. Sometimes, Brownbilt Club members would receive souvenirs or other small rewards just for being a member and shopping on certain days. 

Buster Brown Children's Shoe Company, founded in 1904, purchased the rights to the little boy Buster Brown and his dog Tige, who were originally drawn in a comic strip by Richard Outcault in 1902. The company thrived for over 100 years, producing it's own radio show by 1926 and a television show by the 1950s. The Buster Brown Shoe Company changed its name to the Brown Shoe Company, and is now rebranding as Caleres Shoes, owning brands like Famous Footwear, Dr. Scholl’s, and Naturalizer across the United States, Canada, and China.