Austin bootmaker Tecovas makes wholesale push

Austin-based Tecovas, the Western footwear and apparel brand, is expanding into the wholesale market, the company announced Wednesday.

Why it matters: The move brings the local boot maker, which opened in 2015, to dozens more locations across 10 states.

• The announcement also comes on the heels of Tecovas' rapid expansion this year. The company is opening 11 stores in 2024, which will bring its total store count to 42 before the end of the year, including two in Austin.

Driving the news: Tecovas will initially partner with nine retail stores, reaching 36 store locations from Wyoming to South Carolina, a spokesperson for the company told Axios.

• Retail partners are National Roper Supply, Lebo's, Texas Boot Company, Boots Etc., Murdoch's Ranch & Home Supply, Howell Western Wear, Bullocks Western Store, Crossbow and Junk Gypsy.
• In Central Texas, at least two new stores — Texas Boot Company in Bastrop and Junk Gypsy in Round Top and Wimberley — will sell Tecovas.

Zoom in: Tecovas outgrew its Austin headquarters on South Congress and moved to a 30,000-square-foot space on East Sixth Street earlier this year for more office space.

• Its flagship direct-to-consumer store on South Congress moved down the road in 2022 into the former Tesoros Trading Company space. Tecovas also has a store at Domain Northside.

Flashback: Founder Paul Hedrick sold his first pairs of boots out of his SUV and at farmers markets . By selling directly to consumers, he sought to shake up the cowboy boot industry.

• Tecovas grew from about $1 million in net sales in its first 12 months to more than $200 million in net sales, the company told the Austin Business Journal in March .
• With a single pair of new boots starting in the low three figures, the global Western boots market is worth more than $250 million, per Future Market Insights .

Between the lines: Tecovas is also expanding well beyond cowboy boots, intending to become a high-end Western wear lifestyle brand.

• Apparel accounts for 20% of the company's sales, which the brand is seeking to grow, per industry publication ModernRetail .

What they're saying: "We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter for Tecovas," Tecovas CEO David Lafitte said in a statement.

• "Our goal is to open doors with select specialty stores who can provide an environment where consumers can experience the best parts of Tecovas – out-of-the-box comfort and high-quality handcrafted goods," Lafitte said.

What we're watching: Whether the move into wholesale could change the prices of Tecovas' boots.

Editor's note: This story was updated to reflect corrected information from Tecovas on its retail partners and the states where their stores are.