Frye Celebrates 150th With Store Near C&O Canal

Frye, the oldest continuously operating footwear company in the United States, opened its third U.S. location in D.C., in a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Georgetown store, at 1066 Wisconsin Ave., NW, occupies the former space of Papa-Razzi Restaurant. Frye’s 2,700-square-foot store is located in the historic Vigilant Firehouse, the oldest extant firehouse in D.C., which first housed Engine 5, now located on Dent Place.

The Georgetown store join Frye’s Boston and New York City stores. The Frye Company — known for boots, shoes, handbags and accessories — also plans to open a store in Chicago this fall. Founded in Massachusetts in 1863, Frye has fans that have ranged from Sarah Jessica Parker to General George Patton to John Lennon. A pair of Frye boots is even on exhibit on the Smithsonian.