Best in 'botas'

Customers crazy for high-end Western wear at boot store

And as current vice president of Botas Juarez, Peña and her husband Miguel are looking to pass that same passion along to others.

The Peña’s journey began in 1986, after the couple moved permanently from Juarez, Mexico to the United States. It was Miguel’s job in construction that brought the young 27-year-old newlyweds to Arizona. But after suffering an injury a year later, Miguel would have to look outside of construction for work.

And so the Peña’s began selling boots at Park ‘n' Swap on the weekends to help make ends meet.

 

Botas Juarez has two store Valley locations:   4231 S. Central Avenue, Phoenix 85040 (602) 268-9068 Retail space: 4, 000 square feet   1300 S. Country Club Road, Mesa 85210 (480) 464-5658 Retail space: 16,000 square feet    Company slogan: “Botas Juarez – Feel the Quality” Current number of employees: 18

“El Paso and Juarez are where the best boot makers are,” says Peña. “When Miguel used to wear his boots, all his friends would ask where he bought them…he had a vision early on for our company.”

Peña, who was formerly a purchasing director at a maquiladora in Juarez, lent her expertise to help create the business.

It was then in 1989 that the family ventured to open their first store in South Phoenix, no bigger than 500 square feet at the time.

But this tiny space would soon create a much bigger legacy for Botas Juarez.

“We started opening accounts with large companies,” says Peña. “They were skeptical at first and turned us down, but after doing extensive research we approached them again and it worked…Wrangler was one of the first big companies we started the company with.”

Today, Botas Juarez offers more than 60 brands of boots, including well-known and sought after brands such as Tony Lama, Resistol and Stetson. The store also carries the largest selection of Levi’s and Wrangler jeans in addition to other western wear.

Pena says they took their original store and made the move in 1991 to a much larger space, located at that same original South Phoenix intersection, where it still stands today. An additional store was opened in Mesa to accommodate the growing demand of their loyal customer base.

“Our success has come from understanding the culture of our consumer, “says Peña. “They thirst for good quality in merchandise, especially in Western…we have to offer what they’re looking for.”

And the two plan on continuing to fill that demand for years to come.

 “For the Hispanic market, this isn’t just clothes to wear on the weekend, this is a way of life. I see customers coming into my store today, that I saw 18 years ago as babies going into my first store.” And Peña says she values her employees just as much as her customers. She would like to open another store next year in West Phoenix.

As for life away from the store, Hilda and Miguel enjoy spending time with their 18-year-old daughter Carolina and their 14-year-old son Andres.

The family lives and breathes the Botas Juarez slogan of “feeling the quality” day in and day out.

“You have to love what you do…you have to wake up every morning happy with how you’re making your living. This is our passion.”