Austin-based Tecovas plans first El Paso store as city’s boot-making identity gains official recognition
Tecovas expands into a market long identified with Western footwear manufacturing
Tecovas, the Austin-based boot and Western wear company founded in 2015, is planning a retail entry into El Paso, a city whose boot-making legacy was formally recognized by Texas lawmakers in 2025. The move places a fast-growing direct-to-consumer brand into a region historically associated with large-scale production, heritage labels and artisan makers.
El Paso’s “Boot Capital of Texas” designation was adopted through a 2025 resolution that cited the city’s concentration of boot manufacturers and multigenerational craftsmanship traditions. The legislative language referenced major names associated with El Paso’s boot industry, including Lucchese, Rocketbuster, Caboots and Tony Lama, and highlighted the sector’s role in jobs, tourism and cultural identity.
Why El Paso matters in the Texas boot economy
El Paso’s position in the boot industry is tied both to long-established brands and to its proximity to cross-border supply chains and skilled labor. Lucchese, founded in 1883 in San Antonio, moved its factory and headquarters to El Paso in 1987, reinforcing the city’s status as a manufacturing hub even as Western wear demand has expanded nationally.
Official recognition: Texas’ 2025 designation emphasizes El Paso as a statewide center of boot production and craftsmanship.
Industry concentration: Multiple prominent bootmakers operate in or are closely connected to the city, spanning both heritage manufacturers and smaller specialty brands.
Tourism and identity: The resolution’s rationale links bootmaking to El Paso’s broader cultural brand and visitor appeal.
Tecovas’ growth strategy, and what an El Paso store signals
Tecovas built its business around a direct-to-consumer model and has expanded rapidly through company-owned stores, while also developing a wholesale footprint. In August 2024, the company announced a first wholesale showroom at Dallas Market Center, with a planned debut tied to the Market Center’s World Trade Center expansion in January 2025. In parallel, Tecovas has continued adding stores in major U.S. metro areas, reflecting a broader retail push as Western wear remains a durable category for apparel and footwear brands.
An El Paso opening would align with a strategy of placing stores in high-visibility markets that already have strong consumer familiarity with boots, while also entering a city where the category is not only retail-driven but closely connected to local production history.
Texas lawmakers’ 2025 designation frames El Paso’s bootmaking not only as commerce, but as a long-standing craft tradition with economic spillovers.
What to watch next
Key details that will shape the local impact include the planned store location, hiring levels, and how Tecovas positions itself alongside legacy manufacturers and specialty makers in a city where bootmaking is both an industry and a cultural identifier. The timing of the El Paso entry will also be closely watched as established Texas boot brands continue investing in retail storefronts and brand experiences statewide.