Founded in 1983 by Sophie Mirman and Richard P. Ross, SOCKSHOP became part of the Ruia Group in 2006, and is now based mainly online, with stores in the Manchester Arndale and The Lowry Outlet, as well as concessions across the United Kingdom.

[2] In November 1987, SockShop (recently renamed as a company to Sock Shop International P.L.C) opened three stores in Manhattan, aiming (as in London) towards walk-by traffic.

A couple of years later, when recession struck, Mirman and Ross discovered that their equity (worth £50 million in 1988) had become valueless, and were overwhelmed by debts.

58 shops, including 17 outlets in the United States (14 in New York City alone) were closed down, and discussions were entered with interested parties to try to get new funding capital for financing expansion in Europe.

The chairman for Murray Johnstone Developments, Fred Dalgarno, blamed the expense of the US operation and over-expansion for Sock Shop's problems.

[5] SockShop Holdings fell back into the administrator's hands a second time after becoming part of the Facia Group, a retail conglomerate of 850 shops and 80,000 employees that collapsed in 1996 with debts of £70m due to the fraudulent actions of its owner, Stephen Hinchliffe.

The online store, www.sockshop.co.uk, houses SOCKSHOP's largest collection, including socks, tights, hosiery, underwear and accessories from more than 90 brands – among them Falke, Pantherella, Calvin Klein, Sloggi, Happy Socks and Stance, as well as several of their own brands, including Pringle, ELLE, Heat Holders, Glenmuir, Jeep, Workforce and Wild Feet.

SOCKSHOP designed and launched a range of Pride socks in 2017, donating 20% from the sale of each pair sold to the LGBT Foundation, a Manchester-based charity which provides help and support for members of the LGBT+ community.