The story of Cornelis Den Broeck

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Cornelis Den Broeck's father is a respected cobbler in Wallonia who designs and produces luxury shoes for the Brussels establishment. The Den Broeck family has been making shoes for generations. It is said that Cornelis' great-great-grandfather designed shoes for William I.
As is customary, Cornelis is chosen to take over his father's business. 

One day, the Den Broeck family receives a letter from Johannes, a cousin who lives in New York. Johannes paints a beautiful picture of opportunities available on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Reading the letter, Cornelis falls in love with New York. He no longer wants to take over his father's company. He wants to go on an adventure. 

Cornelis' father is disappointed, but Cornelis leaves in high spirits. Equipped with some basic shoemakers' material, a good suit and an extra pair of shoes, Cornelis travels via Antwerp to the promised land. To America. 

When he finally arrives, he is welcomed by his cousin Johannes. Johannes runs a successful cloth trade business on Nassau Street, and offers Cornelis a few square meters in the basement. Here, Cornelis starts his new company, DenBroeck shoes. 

When the first Wall Street traders discover his shoes, DenBroeck immediately takes off. Within a year, Cornelis moves from the basement to a neat workshop next to his cousins'. 

To this day, DenBroeck's highly acclaimed shoes are available at the best stores in town.