In the world of cowboy boots Republic Boot Co stands apart.  There are Stock Boot Companies and Custom Bootmakers.  Most of big brands of stock boots are owned by Berkshire Hathaway or other private equity firms (Lucchese, Tony Lama, Nocona, Justin, etc).  Most of the newer start-up boot companies are mainly marketing companies (not bootmakers) that ‘sell direct’ from a conglomerate company in Leon, MX.  The Custom bootmakers are usually a few individuals that handcraft bespoke boots in their shop, with many of the lead times well over a year.

Republic Boot Co was founded with a vision to blend all the great things of custom and stock together, which is unique in this industry.  Our Houston bootshop accentuates the full experience of handcrafting custom boots in a beautiful setting in which we also sell stock boots (among other handcrafted items) - Check out our YouTube page to get a feel of the greatness of this Houston store. We have depth of custom bootmakers so we can offer many more custom boots to our customers within 6-8 months while still maintaining top tier quality.  Our stock boots are constructed in the same style as our custom boots, but with our team in Leon to keep the repetition/quality high and prices low.  All stock boots are maintained, modified, customized, resoled and quality checked in our Houston bootshop.  We are Master Bootmakers and stand behind the quality of all our products for life.        

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The roots of Republic Boot Co were started in 2011 when Empresario Chris Conrad took the divine calling to ‘Save Texas’ and embark on a journey to create handcrafted boots and leather products that would enhance the cultural heritage of Texas. Liquidating all their savings, he and his wife opened a small shop in Houston and brought together the finest local craftsmen, creating an award winning small business.  Through many great experiences, yet significant adversity (on par metaphorically with the Texas Revolution), the custom boot brand of Republic Boot Co was created.  Republic prides itself on creating an experience that is entertaining, informative, ‘authentic Texan’ which is similar to being in a museum + saloon + engineering class + John Wayne film at the same time. 

The Conrad family was one of the first in the Heights in the late 1800s and this shop pays homage to these Houston roots. 

The success of the company is based on the incredible people that comprise the Republic family and the loyal customer base.  Fireball Bill (General Manager) is someone that doesn’t meet a stranger and is the energy of the family.  He and his wife Lucky Laura manage the daily store operations. Reverend Raul is the 3rd generation master bootmaker and is the engine behind the quality product (he came to Republic through divine intervention like most of the team).  He was making boots for John Wayne, Steve McQueen, and Roy Rogers way back and a long list of notable folks these days.   Hippie Bill is the master leathersmith that has been with the team since the beginning. Stitch Xavi creates incredible works of art and can stitch a boot in his sleep.  Tito is the best repair guy west of the Mississippi, having left New York after making a name for himself repairing fancy footwear up there. Suit Steve Springer manages the boot production and also has his own amazing brand of custom suits (Blu Fine Menswear).

 Our Boot Family of  Sarge, Coach, RNT, Parker, Nikki, Gadi, Alleyway Callaway, Peach Fuzz Canaan, Cuban Mario, Scottio, Italiano Cosimo, Bear Chase  (among many others) are all vital to the team.  There are a huge number of other folks, friends, and family that have supported Republic Boot Co through the years and the appreciation is beyond words.  We thank God every day for this opportunity and love meeting new folks and explaining this incredible thing we do. Come be part of the family and join the Revolution - you might just get a bootshop nickname!

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