Payless ShoeSource was founded in 1956 in Topeka, Kansas, by two cousins who perfected a revolutionary idea: selling shoes in a self-service environment. Payless ShoeSource Inc is the largest specialty family footwear retailer in the Western Hemisphere. As of the end of fiscal September 2005, the Company operated a total of 4,627 stores, which includes the 40 stores closed due to Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. Payless stores offer quality family footwear and accessories at affordable prices.