Drew Selby building used from 1877 to 1881 with a floor space of 4,500 square feet and a output of 100 to 200 pairs of shoes daily..

Drew Selby building used from 1881 to 1891 located at Third and Gay Streets with a floor space of 15,000 feet and a capacity of from 300 to 900 pairs per day.

1144 people standing in this picture of the 12000 employees in April 1889  At the time the factory was being enlarged to provide over an acre of additional floor space and employment was expected to grow to around 2000 people.  This building was started in 1891 on the square bounded by Gallia, 7th, Findlay and John Streets.

"Keeps the foot well (Arch Preserver Shoes)". .

                                        W. W. Gates                                       George D. Selby                                   P. E. Selby
                                         Irving Drew                                                                                                     J. M. Graham

The Portsmouth Shoe Company, located at 127 West Front Street,  was organized in March 1893 under the name The Portsmouth Turned Shoe Company and for a time made only infants' and turned shoes.  Because of demand for a more complete line McKay's and Welts were added and so the product line in 1889 consisted of Ladies', Misses, children's and Little Gents' $1.00 McKay's, Turns, and Welts in fine and medium grade.

March 12, 1898 the company was completely reorganized changing the name to The Portsmouth Shoe Company with the directors being: F. V. Knauss (President), George Appel (Treasurer), C. F. Kendall (Secretery), B. F. Richardson (Vice President) and W. J. Shumate. 

The capacity of the factory was 800 pairs daily.

The Star Shoe Company was organized January 16, 1894.  The directors were A. Titus, M. D. (President); J. J. Radin (Secretery and Treasurer), S. O. Titus (General Manager), Chris. Uhl (Vice President) and Irvin Drew.  The factory and main offices were located 107 and 109 West Front street.  The product of the factory was Misses' and Children's fine and medium grades in McKay, sewed and Goodyear turns, which were gradually being improved in quality and the annul increase in output. from 100 pair in the fall of 1894 to 950 in the spring of 1898.

The Excelsior Shoe Company five story building extended along Gallia street from Findlay to John streets.  This shoe company specialized in Boys', Youths' and Little Gents Shoes.  The company was started by four young men D. C. Davis and three brothers John E., W. G. and D.C. Williams.  The company was first started in the Stemshorn building on west Forth Street with a capacity of 100 to 200 shoes per day. Four years later the company was then moved to the Miller building, a three story affair on Third and Gay streets. This building had also been used previously by Drew Shelby Co. before they out grew it. 

This new factory was one of the most modern in plan, equipment and facilities at the time.  With the five stories there is 37,500 square feet of floor space giving a capacity of 2000 pairs of shoes daily.  The building was furnished with electric power, light and heat, and had complete telephone service, together with automatic sprinkles and means of fire protection.  350 skilled men and women were employed daily.  Local outlet for the shoes was the Anderson Bros' retail store on Chillicothe street and West Second.

The Tremper Shoe Company was incorporated in June 27, 1895 and commenced business that September at the corner of Second and Jefferson Streets.  The company made Ladies Turns, Welts and McKays. In 1889 they employed one hundred and were considering expanding.

Dr. W. D. Tremper, President; J. M. Wendelken, Vice President; Dan C. Davis, Secretery; F. B. Kehoe, Treasurer and General Manager; and John A. Ives was Superintendent.

The following hustlers represented the company:  E. B. Kehoe, who introduced the Tremper shoes in Ohio and Wes Virginia; H. L. Ware, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa; F. C. Oliver, Chicago, St. Louis, MO; Kansas and Colorado; R. L. Lloyd, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama.

Drew's history dates back to 1875 when Frederick and Irving  Drew, with only a few experienced shoemakers, started the business of hand-making extra fine welt shoes for women along the Ohio River in Portsmouth, Ohio, giving birth to the Drew Shoe Corporation (FKA the Irving  Drew Shoe Company). The quality of the shoes produced was excellent, and business prospered creating a sizable company. A few years later, George Selby,  an industrial sales representative for the Singer Sewing Machine Company,  joined with Irving  Drew, and the Company become known as the  Drew-Selby Company. After several years of successful operations, Mr. Drew and Mr. Selby separated, and Mr. Selby formed the Selby Shoe Company of Portsmouth, Ohio.  It was the infamous Flood of 1937 that struck the first blow to the shoe industry in Portsmouth. After the water had receded, the Irving Drew Company, which had been formed in 1902, never truly restarted their Portsmouth operations.