Mar 25 2010
Tony Lama: The History
Born to Italian parents, Tony Lama started his first lesson in boot making at the age of 11. One of his uncles, a boot maker by trade had Tony Lama as his apprentice in his shoe shop in Syracuse, New York. At the turn of the century, the young Tony Lama became a cobbler for the US Cavalry stationed in Texas. After his service in the military, he set out to make the best boots that are comfortable and durable at the same time.
He started with repairs but word quickly spread of the new talent all throughout the Southwest. Soon many clients arrived at his doors carrying different types of hides. All of them were asking Tony Lama for custom-made boots. In his first year as a boot maker, he made 20 custom-made boots with the help of only one assistant. Cavalrymen, ranchers and cowboys were his first clients and later on when the army no longer needed the services of the cavalry, Tony Lama focused his energy on making Western boots. These boots became the epitome of quality at the time and by the 1930s, shoe stores started asking for Tony Lama boots. Tony Lama had to meet the growing demand for his boots and later on developed a method to produce more boots without sacrificing comfort and quality. 31 years later, 5 decades after his fist store, Tony Lama’s company moved to a larger space and began making around 800 pairs a day.
The great boot maker passed away in the year 1974 and his sons and daughters inherited the boot making company. Traditional boots made with quality handcraftsmanship was the key to Tony Lama’s success and his children continued making the same quality of boots. Tony Lama boots are still very popular today making Tony Lama’s story a symbol of the American dream.
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