Can I Kick It?
High-end Texas boot maker scoots into new Northwest San Antonio shop
Any Texan worth their salt knows that an outfit isn't complete without a good pair of boots. Now, San Antonio has a swanky new shop to get their kicks.
On July 13, Tecovas, a Texas-based brand specializing in Western wear, boots, and accessories, opened its first shop in the Alamo City, settling in at the Shops at La Cantera. This is not only the first South Texas location for the brand, but Tecovas' first outpost outside of its hometown of Austin.
"We're excited to expand the Tecovas retail presence beyond Austin ... and San Antonio has been on our list for awhile," explains Paul Hedrick, founder and CEO of Tecovas. "When a space opened up at the beautiful and oft-frequented Shops at La Cantera, we knew we had found our second store."
The company partnered with the famed team at Michael Hsu Office of Architecture on the 3,500-square-foot space, an Old West-meets-contemporary design with steel fixtures, wooden accents, and leather (but of course). Among the eye-catching features is a piece from Kyle Bunting, a high-end Austin textile maker specializing in hides. Bunting created a signature piece of art for the store: a hanging hide depicting the Alamo.
The new store, according to the company, was designed to enhance the Tecovas direct-to-consumer business model. "We want our physical retail experience to be a seamless shopping experience with the same high bar for customer experience that we set for our online store," Hedrick says.
Customers are able to try shoes on a variety of sizes and either purchase directly from the store or have them shipped. The new La Cantera store also offers embossing on all leather goods, as well as complimentary boot shines and the bourbon or craft cocktail.
Opening at 15900 La Cantera Pkwy., Ste. 1450 was a natural next, ahem, step for the boot brand. Though Hedrick founded the company in 2015, Tecovas didn't move into its first physical space until earlier this year, when it opened a flagship store on Austin's bustling South Congress Avenue strip. In choosing a second location, Hedrick says San Antonio was the best option — for three important reasons.
"Not only do we have thousands of customers there already, but it's a city rich with Texas history," says Hedrick. "And people love boots!"