G.H. Bass & Co. is home to the latest collection of handmade men's and women's original Penny Loafers, Bass Weejuns, boat shoes, ankle boots and more. Classic styles and limited editions available to buy directly from the makers. 2016 marks the 80th anniversary of the classic G.H. Bass & Co. Weejun penny loafer. Opening a new store on Soho's Beak Street, around the corner from the famed Carnaby Street, it is the company's first shop in Europe. Based in the far northeasterly US state of Maine, G.H. Bass & Co. was founded in 1879 by George Henry Bass, who had previously been a junior partner in shoemakers EP Packhard and Co. Throughout its early years, it created functional shoes for farmers, woodsmen, skiers and aviators, with an especial focus on moccasins. It was in 1936 that the company first began producing the Weejun loafer that remains its best known shoe today. It was inspired by the shoes of Norwegian designer Nils Gregoriusson Tveranger, but distinguished by the diamond cut out across the saddle. The new store features a full range of G.H. Bass & Co. shoes but it in particular, it stocks a large range of penny loafers. The store also sells socks and shoecare products.