Certain brands, I know and love.
From the ground up, boots, belt, jeans…
Growing up in Texas, boots, cowboy boots, are just a fact of life. Appropriate for casual wear, polished up, good enough for both Saturday night dancing and Sunday morning “go to meeting” attire.
I’m down to just three or four, really, just three pair of boots. All handmade in El Paso, TX. The brand is Lucchese, and all of those boots were actually made by hand. Back in a time when the original descendent was in charge.
Good boots. One pair, Cherry Ostrich, they got resoled at the factory a half-dozen times, then the cobbler in South Austin, then the Golden Slipper (S. Lamar). Finally, deep in the hood, the latest and even better than the rest, the little boot repair place in South San Antonio.
The guy there, it’s already spooled up in a horoscope, but he pretends to not speak English. My broken Spanish and hard currency translated to a job well-done. Officially, now, I’ve spent more on repair than the original cost of the footwear.
Brand loyal, to a fault, maybe. The official office, world headquarters, I think, was here in San Antonio, at one time. Might still be. That cobbler, he has framed note on his wall, from Sam Lucchese, thanking that cobbler for a job well-done.
While the office might be in San Antonio, really, I think it’s just an arm of a larger corporation now, the manufacturing was in El Paso. My most recent pair, classic Lucchese style, I bought at the factory outlet in El Paso, one year. Not so long ago. Despite the handmade moniker, that pair cost less than $100.
As of now, on those boots, on their third set of soles, I’ve spent more on repair and maintenance than the original cost.
I understand, no fact checking here, the company is owned by one of two big mega-corporations, and as such, is aligned with a whole a process therein.
The original brand was the family name and the fact the boots were produced by hand. Still have several pair. In fact, that’s all I’m willing to wear, cold weather days.
The brand-loyal part stems from two elements. For one, the boots fit like slippers. Seriously, just like slipping on a pair of slippers, worn, comfortable, no hot spots. The other point is durability. That speaks for itself.
Disclosures are here.
