60 Reasons To Love Cavender’s: Celebrating 60 Years In The Boot Business

Since opening its doors in the small town of Pittsburg, Texas, in 1965, the business has grown from a small local shop to a powerhouse with 120-plus storefronts across the nation. Beloved for its wide selection of boots, hats, apparel, and Western essentials, Cavender’s has become a destination for ranch hands, rodeo stars, and Western wear enthusiasts alike.

To celebrate, we revisit six decades worth of milestones, memories, and memorable personalities that have made Cavender’s a true icon.

1. In 1965, James Cavender started the company with just three styles of Tony Lama boots.
   

2. Pittsburg, Texas — where Cavender’s was founded — is also the hometown of automotive legend Carroll Shelby and poultry magnate Bo Pilgrim, both of whom were friends of James Cavender.

3. In 1987 when “All My Exes Live in Texas” was topping the charts, George Strait made an appearance at Cavender’s Hurst, Texas, location — creating quite the traffic jam.
   

4. Today, Cavender’s has a presence in 18 states nationwide — from Arizona to Tennessee.

5. Every store has a cowboy hat bar, where hats can be fitted, custom shaped, and cleaned.
   

6. Honoring tradition, several store locations continue to offer boot shine services.

7. Cavender’s president Joe Cavender is the in-house cowboy boot expert.

8. He also operates Cavender Ranches, and has been producing Brangus cattle for 30-plus years.
   

9. With more than 50 brands to choose from, there’s a boot for everyone.
   

10. Clay Cavender is the mastermind behind Cavender’s exclusive Rafter C clothing line and has a heavy hand in designing the men’s shirts.

11. He also designs Cavender’s stores, something he learned from his mother, Pat Cavender, who was known to scour vintage shops and source vintage Western décor for each store.

12. Cavender’s is the preferred large retailer of American Hat Co.

13. Through partnerships with brands like Wrangler, Justin, and Resistol, Cavender’s has watched icons George Strait, Cody Johnson, and more rise to fame. They have proudly carried their clothing lines and supported their music through the years.

14. In our 2019 issue, Mike Cavender told us one of his father’s favorite things to do was go out on the sales floor and personally sell a pair of boots to a customer — something he also has learned to love doing. James Cavender was also known to keep Cavender’s-branded giveaway items in his car to give to everyone he met.
    

15. Cavender's refers to its employees as “associates,” a term used because it is a closer connection than employee.
    

16. 80% of store managers started as cashiers or sales associates.

17. NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw was a keynote speaker for a Cavender’s leadership conference. The four-time Super Bowl champion also purchased cattle from Joe Cavender.

18. Cavender’s provides the official straw and felt cowboy hats for the Dallas Police Department.

19. Mike Cavender — real estate expert and the family’s resident flashy dresser — has curated an extensive collection of cowboy boots. A longtime passion, he’s spent decades collaborating with bootmakers to design custom pairs featuring everything from Cavender’s iconic cowboy to Santa Claus.
    

20.  In 2004, Lucchese honored Mike for 40 years of shared commitment to the Western way of life. 

21. You can spot Cavender’s banners hanging in rodeo arenas of many movies, including The Hill (2023) and Twisters (2024). 

22. An additional 1,500 associates will be hired for the upcoming holiday season. 

23. Many store locations celebrate the holiday season by decorating Western-inspired Christmas trees or wearing tacky Christmas sweaters.

24. In 2005, Baylor University’s head women’s basketball coach, Kim Mulkey, was presented a pair of custom Lucchese boots. The boots — designed by Mike Cavender — celebrated the Lady Bears’ national championship. 

25. Celebrities like Drake and Post Malone have been spotted shopping at locations in Houston and Fort Worth.
    

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26. There are over 60 associates who have worked for Cavender’s for 20-plus years. 

27. Ron Whitten, a regional vice president, is the longest tenured employee at Cavender's with 41 years under his belt. 

28. The iconic Cavender’s cowboy is featured on billboards across the country.
    

29. The retailer is a title sponsor for the Texas Agriculture Department’s Family Land Heritage program, which honors families who have run continuous agricultural operations for 100 years or more. 

30. Some of Cavender’s most-loved boots, The Nancy by JRC & Sons, are a tribute to Joe Cavender’s wife, Nancy.
    

31. Several more pairs of JRC & Sons boots are tributes to Cavender’s family members, including Jacqueline, Whitney, Drew, McClain, and more. 

32. Jacqueline Cavender — Clay Cavender’s wife and the namesake of a line of tall snip- toe cowboy boots — is the author of “As The Spur Stirs,” a cookbook featuring recipes from George Strait, Pat Green, Laura Bush, and Dennis Quaid. The cookbook can be found for sale in Cavender’s stores and online. Proceeds raised benefit ​​the American Cancer Society and Cystic Fibrosis research. 

33. Cavender’s has been a sponsor of the American Cancer Society for more than 25 years. 

34. In 2016, Cavender’s moved into the historic Fort Worth Stockyards.
    

    

35. Cavender’s sponsors over 200 rodeos across the country.

36. They sponsor the arena crew and National Anthem at Rodeo Houston.

37. They also have sponsorships with Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, The American Rodeo, the National Western, and Cheyenne Frontier Days

38. Cavender’s is also the official time clock sponsor of the Cowboy Channel during the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
39. In 2019, they established the first-ever Team Cavender’s, a coveted team composed of talented young rodeo athletes.
    
40. To date, over 30 athletes have come through the youth rodeo program, including world champions and rising stars Riley Webb, Keenan Hays, Josie Conner, Daylon Swearingen, Haley Kinsel, and more.
41. There are 23 athletes on the 2025-2026 team, ranging in disciplines from barrel racing to bull riding.
42. In 2019, Cavender’s was inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.
    
    
43. In that same year, they were also inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame.
44. The Cavender’s family marks all their major milestones with celebrations.
    
    
45. Part of these celebrations include one-of-a-kind commemorative cowboy boots from Tony Lama, Corral, and Old Gringo.
46. In 2023, the Cavender’s family was honored with the Texas Historical Foundation’s Star of Texas Award. Governor Greg Abbott presented the award at Hotel Drover in the Fort Worth Stockyards.
    
47. While filming Yellowstone, 1883, and other popular western shows across Texas, Taylor Sheridan has been known to stop by many Cavender’s locations to outfit his characters.
48. The Cavender’s Fort Worth Stockyards location hosted C&I's first-ever August/September 2023 cover-reveal party featuring Yellowstone star and activist Mo Brings Plenty.
    
49. Cavender’s has been partners with Special Olympics Texas for over a decade.

50. Hudson Westbrook, Randall King, Josh Abbott, and Howard Bellamy often wear Cavender’s Rafter C brand while performing on stage.

51. The retailer carries over 900 styles of jeans.
52. In September 2024, Cavender’s celebrated the 100th store opening in Cedar Park, Texas.
    
53. In October 2025, they had a historic 10 store grand openings in one weekend.
    
54. There’s an exhibit dedicated to Cavender’s at the Northeast Texas Rural Heritage Museum in Pittsburg, Texas.

55. The retailer helped bring the first-ever PRCA rodeo — The East Texas State Fair Rodeo — to Tyler, Texas, in 2025. They were also a presenting sponsor.
    
56. Each year, a store manager receives the prestigious James Cavender Lifetime Achievement Award. This year, the award was presented to Brian Henson, a district manager who has been with the company for 40 years.

57. All associates receive either a belt buckle or cuff bracelet made by Crumrine when they reach a milestone year in the company, starting at five years.

58. Every year, Cavender’s sets up shop at Cowboy Christmas during the National Finals Rodeo. In 2024, their booth received a makeover, including a brand-new hat bar.
59. The iconic retailer celebrates 60 years in the boot business this year.

60. You can shop cavenders.com anytime for all your Western wear needs.

 

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