Tony Lama Boots is a western boot brand and a division of
Justin Brands
Justin Boots is an American western and equestrian footwear brand. It is a division of Justin Brands, Inc., itself owned by Berkshire Hathaway.
History
H.J. "Daddy Joe" Justin started repairing boots in Spanish Fort, Texas. After receiving a l ...
, a
Berkshire Hathaway corporation.
History
Tony Lama was born to
Italian immigrant parents in 1887. He first learned the leather and boot trade as an 11-year-old shoemaker's apprentice in
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffa ...
. In the early 20th century, Lama joined the U.S. Cavalry as a
cobbler for the soldiers stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. After completing his service in 1911, he stayed in the border town of
El Paso, Texas. While there, Lama met and married Esther Hernandez, a pianist and music teacher. Soon after, he opened a small shoe and boot repair shop.
Repairs were initially the biggest part of his business, but the boots he made soon became popular. In the first year, together with his one employee at the time, Lama sold 20 pairs of handcrafted boots.
By the 1930s,
Western wear stores began asking for Tony Lama's boots. In response, he developed methods to produce greater quantities. Over the next two decades, Lama's six children became actively involved in the business. In 1946, his son, Joseph “Bert” Lama, presented a custom pair of
gold and
silver inlaid boots to U.S. President
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...
.
In the 1950s, the company began marketing its boots nationally.
In 1961, nearly 50 years after the first store opened, the company moved into larger quarters and began making 750 pairs of boots a day. By the late 1960s, the company moved to a new factory on El Paso's east side. In 1990, Tony Lama Boots was sold to Justin Industries.
References
External links
Tony Lama website
Shoe companies of the United States
Companies based in El Paso, Texas
1911 establishments in Texas
Berkshire Hathaway
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