Riding the Western wear craze, retailer Boot Barn has raised its target for stores to 1,200 locations, 300 more than its original goal and more than twice its current fleet.
The Irvine, California-based chain, with 489 brick-and-mortar retail sites now, said it was stepping up its expansion plans after a market analysis it conducted.
"We recently reevaluated our store potential across individual U.S. markets and have combined that analysis with a third-party study to support our estimates," Boot Barn CEO John Hazen said. "We now believe that the U. S. store count can reach 1,200 stores, and we expect to open 12% to 15% new units annually."
Boot Barn, a seller of Western and work-related footwear and apparel, previously estimated it could soar to just 900 locations. And it isn't the only retailer seeing Western wear as an opportunity, either. Abercrombie & Fitch and Kendra Scott are also making forays into that arena. Of course, styles and fashions go out of vogue, posing risk for these companies.
But right now, they're all looking to benefit from fashion industry and consumer current infatuation with "cowboy core" fashion, namely Western-inspired apparel and footwear, a trend for the past few years driven in part by popular culture. It gained more traction in spring and summer last year, according to fashion bible Vogue. And this fall cowboy boots and fringe jackets were featured by designers like Schiaparelli on the runway.
Paramount's hit TV show "Yellowstone," debuting in 2018, was an early influence and had apparel makers mimicking character Beth Dutton's soft floral dresses. In 2024 musician-record producer Pharrell did a Western-inspired men's collection for Louis Vuitton. Singer-songwriter Beyonce dunned Western-inspired clothing, like silvery chaps, on her "Cowboy Carter" tour to promote her country music album this year. Her fans showed up in cowboy hats and boots.
"From Cowboy Carter to Yellowstone: How the West Won Fashion," Elle magazine wrote in one article.
Boot Barn on Wednesday reported its second-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings, with net sales rising 18.7% over the prior-year period to $505.4 million. Same-store sales increased 8.4%, with retail store-same store sales increasing 7.8% and e-commerce increasing 14.4%.
On the earnings call, Hazen explained why Boot Barn is confident it can open 300 more stores than the 900 it originally projected as a result of its recent reevaluation. That research entailed a survey of 8,000 consumers.
"We now believe that our total addressable market has expanded from $40 billion to $58 billion," he said. "Turning to our long-term store count potential, new stores opened over the last few years have consistently generated strong sales and earnings across all geographies, which has emboldened our approach to be a stores-first first organization."
Boot Barn expects to open 70 new stores for all of fiscal 2026, ending up with 529 locations, up from 459 last year.
Yellow Rose ventures beyond Texas
Austin, Texas-based Kendra Scott, known as a retailer of fashion jewelry at its namesake stores, has slowly been trying to get a foothold in the Western-inspired fashion market. It has a handful of stores that aim to pay homage to Texas, called Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott, that sell vintage-inspired jewelry and accessories. The fourth Yellow Rose, and the first store outside of the Lone Star State, is slated to open in Nashville, Tennessee, at 2212 12th Ave. S later this year.
A year ago, Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott did a capsule "Yellowstone" collection in collaboration with Paramount Consumer Products to mark the debut of the fifth season of the show. The merchandise included bracelets, rings and necklaces.
And earlier this month, Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott announced it was diversifying and launching a boot collection. For now, the footwear will be sold at the Yellow Rose stores and online, not the banner Kendra Scott jewelry stores. Kendra Scott herself, a Texan who owns a ranch and is the founder and chief creative officer of the chain, discussed the new foray in a statement.
“When we set out to create Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott, I wanted it to honor the timeless spirit of Texas while also reflecting my admiration for iconic women like Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, and Loretta Lynn,” Scott said.
“Their influence, alongside our customers’ desire for versatile and authentic footwear, led us to envision Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott as a Western-inspired lifestyle brand offering everything from head to toe," she continued. "Footwear felt like a natural progression toward that goal, bringing everyday style to the modern cowgirl and cowboy in a way that’s familiar to us — through unique shapes, colors, and timeless design.”
Boot market on a kick
The market for cowboy boots is booming. It's expected to hit $289.7 million this year and $538.6 million by 2035, according to Future Market Insights.
Just this week Abercrombie & Fitch unveiled its plan to lasso a piece of the Western wear market. It is collaborating with Kemo Sabe — an Aspen, Colorado-based luxury western retailer known for its premium boots, hats and western apparel — on a collection. The women’s-only collection includes genuine leather apparel and accessories, denim jeans and skirts and jewelry.
“We’ve long admired the way Kemo Sabe has honored Western heritage through authentic craftsmanship,” Corey Robinson, chief product officer of Abercrombie & Fitch, said in a statement. “This collaboration allows us to take products that customers love from Abercrombie & Fitch and incorporate Kemo Sabe’s distinct design, leading to special items that will become cherished statement pieces.”
The partnership with Abercrombie marks Kemo Sabe’s first global retail partnership, expanding its reach beyond the brand’s boutiques in the West. The collection is for sale online now and in stores globally next week.
“This collaboration is about bringing the Western spirit to customers everywhere,” Wendy Kunkle, president and owner of Kemo Sabe, said in a statement.