Since 1980 Texas Custom Boots has made boots for everyone from the electrician down the street to some of the wealthiest people in the world.
Included in their client base are lawyers, carpenters, stage and movie actors, secretaries, artists, plumbers, television personalities, truck drivers, singers, chefs, songwriters, doctors, sports figures, and even a few politicians.
They all had one thing in common, a desire to own a finely made, well fitting pair of footwear. Texas Custom Boots puts the same care into every pair of boots. Come and experience the difference of custom made boots.
Bill Hood
I slipped on my first pair of custom handmade boots in 1980. They were made especially for me by Alberto Lozano, the Master Bootmaker at Texas Custom Boots. Today, they are still my favorite pair of boots and are well worn.
Here is a photo of my Pencil Boots. I get a lot of comments on this pair, which depicts my life as an artist in the days before computers when we drew everything in pencil.
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There is nothing finer than a custom handmade pair of TCB boots. I now own six pair and wouldn’t think of doing business with another bootmaker.
Bill Hood – Cuernavaca, Mexico
Louise
Hi Noel,
Here are two photos of my very beautiful boots. They arrived and I wore them for the first time yesterday.
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They fit perfectly and are totally comfortable to walk around in all day — I had them on for over 14 hours yesterday which is a very good test. My heartfelt compliments to you and your team — the workmanship is simply superb, the style is elegant, and overall look is breathtakingly stunning! I love the little details in the tooled leather and stitching. I am soooo happy!
Thanks from your very happy customer in Tasmania,
Louise
Michael
I’ve taken both pairs of boots I’ve gotten here all around the world and never cease to get compliments on them (even if they’re getting enough mileage that they should go back soon).
Every time someone comments, I’m always happy to launch into a description of the awesome place in Austin where I got them, that shares space with a taxidermy studio and sits next to an adult video place. That’s just too good to be true, and apparently it isn’t anymore. I might still tell that story until I officially bring my boots back in to the new location. Clearly they actually have a troupe of magical elves that comes in at night and stitches together an entirely new pair of boots that look identical to the ones you brought in. If they’ve brought said elves to the new location, this is still the best boot place in the world.
Michael M. – New Orleans, LA
Mark
Noel the owner is a craftsman. People from all over the world have chosen him to create boots that last beyond the current fashion season and will more than likely be passed down to the next generation. This is the place you go when the large boot stores just aren’t satisfying you unique needs.
Beyond the custom boots, they do sell nicely reconditioned “antique boots” and do a damn fine job when you need your boots reconditioned after they have traveled too many miles of pavement and trails. He has put two soles on my boots and each time they come back to me they look like they did when they came from the factory.
Mark L. – Austin, TX
And from our many repair clients…
Lauren
I recently acquired a very nice leather briefcase as a gift, that I wanted to use as a handbag. The only problem was that it had a strap which was way too long for my liking and I was afraid that I would have to return it. I decided that if I could find someone who could shorten it for me and make it look as if I had bought it that way, I could be strolling around with the perfect bag . Not really knowing where I would find this certain someone, I turned to Yelp and stumbled upon rave reviews of Texas Custom Boots. Although everyone was talking about how great their boots looked after wards, I figured that if he could do such an excellent job on leather boots surely he wouldn’t discriminate against leather handbags. I took it in, he looked it over listened to what I wanted, and told me he could do it in a day. The next day he called me, I came in and he told me exactly what he had done. I was absolutely amazed by his work. The way he Incorporated the shortened strap into the manufacturer’s seam was so incredible that no one could ever tell it didn’t come from the factory that way.
I will definitely be coming back for any repair needs. Oh, and it only cost me less than $15.
Lauren H. – Austin
Debbie
Highly recommend this place! Dropped off some red-soled pumps and boots to get them “winterized.” Noel was courteous and knowledgeable in matching the red soles with matching red rubberized sole guards to keep the look of the shoe clean, long-lasting and beautiful.
Ladies, for all your high quality shoes, take them here! Noel will take care of them properly!
Debbie K. – Austin
Sophie
In October 2009, my husband bought his first pair of cowboy boots. They were $400 and he bought them at [another boot store in Austin].
Three months later, in January 2010, the heel caps were worn down and, on one of the boots, separating from the wood. My husband is not hard on his shoes/boots. He goes to work at a carpeted office, he comes home, he wears them out to restaurants…that’s it.
The [other boot store] recommended Noel at Texas Custom Boots for the repair.
I went to Noel’s little shop on South 1st. He told me it would be $50 for the new heel caps (and a shine!) and assured me that, once he replaced the caps, they wouldn’t need to be replaced for a long time. He showed me what he was going to use. There was a huge difference – the original [from the other boot store] heel cap was soft and squishy; the heel cap Noel was going to put on was solid and substantial.
We were annoyed at having to spend $50 to replace heel caps on three month old $400 boots. Everyone we shared the story with encouraged us to call the other boot store again. While not at all friendly on the phone, the owner from the other boot store agreed to arrange to pay for the repair with Noel.
Apparently [the owner of the other boot store] made quite a scene when she went to Noel’s shop, butting in front of another customer who was there first and giving Noel’s employee an earful before Noel came out of the [back room]. In the end, Noel never got paid.
Just like Noel promised, the heel caps he put on a year ago show very little wear. Unfortunately, now the boots need new soles and we’ve returned to Noel to have that work done. I don’t know if it’s normal to have to replace soles on boots that have been worn for a total of less than a year (my husband doesn’t wear them in warm weather) but that’s the situation.
We know Noel will do a fantastic job and the new soles will undoubtedly last far longer than the original ones.
Next time we are in the market for boots, we will definitely buy from Noel.
Sophie Y. – Austin
Dan
There are times when you just know. When I drove up to this place I knew their was a pair for me. This place has the old South Austin charm, grace and workmanship that fast disappearing in our country.
Dan L. – Louisville, CO
Kimberly
I recently acquired my first pair of custom cowboy boots secondhand, which is to say, they were not custom made for ME. I needed the calves to be stretched out a bit. After reading Alex M.’s yelp review about the “porn star hottt and bothered loving attention” that his vintage cowboy boots received, I made a beeline for Texas Custom Boots.
As I handed Noel my boots, he said, “Tommy Taylor made your boots… wow. I met him about 15 years ago in Santa Fe… he was a master craftsman. How did you like working with him?” I was flummoxed.
Flummoxed because I never met Tommy. Flummoxed because he said “was”. Flummoxed because master craftsmen probably do not appreciate people who buy custom boots second hand…
“Ummm. When did he die?”
“A couple years ago… GREAT guy, very talented.”
Lineage is strangely important to me… so I was thrilled at one level that the person operating on my new old boots was connected in any way to the man who made them, but maybe a bit embarrassed that I bought them barely used and needed Noel to make my custom boots custom for ME for a fraction of what he charges for his beautiful boots.
“I never met him but I like that you did. I bought these used and need the calves stretched out… can you do that?”
“Sure! I will measure your calves, stretch your boots, and then clean them up a bit, so when you get them back, they will look like new. If you bought these for under $350, you got an amazing deal on them.”
“Yes, I got an amazing deal. What would you say they are worth… like, if I were to have these made for my feet?”
“Well, probably around 2K… but he has died, so you can take that to mean they are worth more or less… they are a rare collector’s item and they are worth more OR people are not interested now that he is not producing and they are worth less.”
My boots were ready in a week, the leather had been oiled and rubbed and maintained and the heels had been meticulously cleaned. Calf stretching cost me about $40 so the total cost on the boots was just under $100.
Noel was very thorough, professional, and easy to work with…he does not appear to be a man who would care about flummoxing anyone. I had a great experience that connected me to the history of my new acquisition and ended up with beautiful boots that fit me.
All in all, clearly an unflabbergasted WIN.
Kimberly K. – Austin, TX
Browning
This is the only place I’ll take my boots for repairs. Noel’s shop is capable of making high class 100 percent handmade cowboy boots, so I trust him to repair my handmade boots.
The rule of thumb is to have your boots repaired by the folks that make them (as for handmades) but the small shop in Mercedes Texas that made mine is now defunct. So I trust Noel to do a great job and he did. Noel know’s boots and quality and wont turn his nose at any project you give him. He also has quite a bit of vintage boots at great prices.
Noel repairs custom handmade boots by some of the best boot makers in Texas. People taking their high dollar stuff here obviously know boots and trust Noel to take care of them. He has also taken time from his busy day to talk boots and I appreciate a good boot talk whenever I can get one!
Browning H. – Austin, TX
Emily
I had a very good experience this week when I had to drop in to get my new boots fixed. See, I had gotten them at Marshall’s in Boston, but the buckles where the straps loop through had fallen off. Lucky for me I didn’t try to fix them at home, by myself, with superglue! I was telling Noel about this and he said that I might have been able to do it, but once he got them into the back room and got a good look, he said it was a much more involved process because he had to glue one side of the buckle to the leather first…instead of just gluing the two buckle sides together. In about 30 minutes (I went ahead and took them off and walked around in my socks), he had them BETTER than new, since they were already broken when I bought them (not complaining, though, I got a $300 pair of boots for…TWENTY dollars!).
I was thrilled. I asked him what the damage was and he said $20….can’t beat that….there were four buckles, so….$5 a piece! and I have boots that I can still wear instead of ones with superglue all over them. Noel is the owner of the shop and he has a very impressive amount of vintage/used boots…and even some custom made ones. Drop by….they are very reasonable priced.
Emily P. – Austin, TX
Alex
My vintage boots got the kind of loving attention that would get a porn star hot and bothered. These folks know how to work leather and bindings.
If you are looking to buy boots, they have an incredible selection. If you need any work done, make this your destination. My boots were an investment, yes, but damn how I love wearing them.
Alex M. – Austin, TX
Santa
Noel runs the coolest boot shop in town! He’ll help you out with whatever ails your boots or help you find a great pair from his stock. Shop here!!
Santa V. – Austin, TX
Davonne
My boyfriend, Travis and I have been looking for over 6 months for a vintage pair of size 13 men’s boots. We have found some boots but none that were worth their asking price and none in the right style. We searched high and low and went all over town. Finally one fateful Saturday we drove past Texas Custom Boots, having never seen it before, we quickly hit the brakes and went in.
This place has a great vibe. It felt like an old style boot shop with a big open garage and tops of boots lining the floor and shelves and boots being worked on right in front of your eyes. It was hard to tell which boots were being worked on and which were for sale, but the owner quickly pulled out his 2 pairs of size 13 boots. Nope, not exactly what we were looking for. But then he remember that a pair of boots had come in the day before, still in the original box, size 13.
AND IT WAS MAGIC. Those were the boots for Travis and me and they fit him like they had been custom made. They were priced just right as we both knew that the same boots would cost 2 times that price at [at a local retail boot store]. He has been wearing them every day since.
The owner was a real big help and I enjoyed exploring this great boot store. Not only will they fix your boots but they have great used finds to boot!
Davonne H. – Austin, TX
Allan
Noel took great care of my lizard ropers. They’re nothing special, but they are special to me. I left them pretty beat and badly in need of new heels and soles, and I got them back better than new. Just beautiful work and worth every bit of his fee.
I cannot recommend Noel more highly. NOTE: He’s moved to South First, north of La Reyna and south of El Mercado on the other side of the street. Much better parking. Noel also said he’s planning some performances in the garage space attached to his building on First Thursdays.
Allan C. – Austin, TX
Aaron
No complaints here. Very straightforward boot shop run by a very helpful and straightforward guy.
I was given some old boots that needed heel repair. Took ‘em here and the owner [Noel Escobar] gave them a once over diagnoses. The soles are a little thin, which he noticed. He had every opportunity to upsell me on some sole repair, but instead told me they had some life left in them and I can deal with that later. I appreciated that.
Anyway, he offered to get them done in a day but I wasn’t in a hurry. Instead he finished them up in about 4 days. When I picked them up, he had done a fine job on the heels and had totally cleaned them up and oiled and polished them. My hand-me-down boots are just about good as new, and the whole thing cost me about $30.
Furthermore, even though he was running the shop alone and had plenty of work to do, [Noel] was more than happy to hang out and patiently answer all my amateur questions about leather care. He even inquired about my upcoming European travels, etc.
Good guy. Good work. Good price.
On a side note… I didn’t look around too thoroughly, but he seemed to have alot of restored vintage boots around for sale that looked good and were reasonably priced. Probably a good place to find a good used pair.
Highly Recommended.
Aaron U – Austin, TX
Adam
I bought a pair of old boots on eBay that need a lot work done on the heels and insides. They did great work on them at a fair price. I am a fan of vintage boots and a lot of the time when you buy them they will need a little work done. Texas Custom Boots is now my only choice for boot repair.
Adam L. – Austin, TX
Tim
I took my wife’s boots in because she had a stain on them and ANOTHER boot store said if anyone can get this out Noel can. Noel worked on this for several days always letting me know how it was going. Unfortunately the stain had already set and there was nothing he could do. But having felt like he hadn’t finished what he promised he offered to dye them for free! I haven’t seen that kind of customer service in years. The boots came back looking better than ever and my wife is extremely happy with the results.
Tim R. Waukee, IA
Margaret
I loved my experience here. I went in with my old ratty boots that I maybe should have thrown out a long time ago and Noel took them right off my hands and had ‘em patched and shining like new within a few hours.
It was a great job, very professional and built to endure, and it was a fair price for what was done AND he did not even flinch when I said I wanted to have them repaired in the first place, because it’s not like they’re valuable boots that should be preserved this long; they’re just sentimental to me and he understood that.
Chip
Just got my boots back from Noel after having them resoled and they look absolutely beautiful. The new soles are much higher quality than the original ones, and it’s obvious that the job was done with both craftsmanship and tender loving care. This is the second time I’ve bought my boots in to Noel’s shop; the first time he replaced the heels, again with better quality materials and better craftsmanship. When I buy my next pair of boots, I’ll buy them from Noel; that way, I’ll get the best right off instead of having him replace second-rate materials and workmanship (word to the wise: don’t buy from [a retail boot shop in Austin]).
Chip – Austin, TX
Shirley
Texas Custom Boots handed me what looked like 3 new pairs of boots today. The thing is that they weren’t new at all- quite old and battered, actually. They repaired and resoled each pair with such evident detail.
These folks care about what they do. It is clear in their work.
This is not the first time I have worked with them. They floored me when they rescued the toe of my favorite pair of boots… a bored dachshund occupied its time on my boot, and chewed up the tip. I still stare at those boots wondering how they mended the leather seamlessly… like magic 
Shirley P. – Austin, TX
Luv
Shoe repair ROCKS!! This place was recommended by a friend who said her shoes were like NEW after having them repaired here. It’s absolutely true!!
I took in a pair of my favorite blue suede Marc Jacobs after my cat ate the strap to one of them. I truly thought I wouldn’t be able to wear them again…but Noel was extremely helpful and when I got my shoes back they were LIKE NEW!!! I also took in a pair of sling backs that I had seriously abused and completely scratched and torn part of the heel and yeah, they’re like new now too.
I couldn’t just keep this to myself. If you have a pair of shoes that you need to have fixed this place is AMAZING!!
Impeccable craftsmanship
- Pros: The staff is extremely helpful and the service is excellent! Great prices
- Cons: Wish they were listed under “Shoe repair” – might have found them sooner!!
Luv – Austin, TX
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