Tecovas bootmaker to open new store in NorthPark Center mall in Dallas: What we know

The Austin-based cowboy boots retailer Tecovas is opening a fourth store in Dallas-Fort Worth as it aims to grow aggressively into a national brand of Western attire.

Tecovas, which started out online in 2015 and only a few years ago began opening brick-and-mortar locations, already has storefronts in the Fort Worth Stockyards; in Dallas along U.S. 75 and North Henderson Avenue; and in Plano.

Now the company is opening a 5,600-square-foot location in NorthPark Center, the shopping mall in Dallas off U.S. 75, according to state licensing records. The location appears to be the space formerly occupied by Justice, the girls clothing retailer. The $2 million project to finish out the tenant space is expected to be complete by early July.

Tecovas designs its boots in Austin and handcrafts them in Leon, Mexico, in a process that involves more than 200 steps. The retailer has expanded to also sell men’s and women’s clothing, leather goods and accessories.

The company opened its first physical store on Austin’s South Congress Avenue in 2019 and had raised $120 million from investors as of January 2022. The company has 10 stores in Texas, plus 15 in other states including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Kansas. Its first California store is coming soon in Rancho Cucamonga.

In June, Tecovas brought on David Lafitte as CEO. He previously led global operations Deckers Brands’ portfolio, including UGG, HOKA, Teva and Sanuk. With the move, Tecovas founder Paul Hedrick shifted to the role of executive chairman to focus on brand development.

As of mid-2022, the company expected to see 40% annual growth with more than $200 million in gross sales. It projected opening about 15 stores through 2023.

“Tecovas has grown from an idea into a nine-figure brand in under seven years,” Hedrick said in a June news release. “Yet I’ve never been more bullish on our growth ahead. Our scale gives us the opportunity to invest in hiring so we can expand our retail footprint, expand product categories, and buy more inventory.”