New-to-market boot, Western wear store from Texas opens in Fayette Mall
A boot and Western wear retailer based in Texas is going after Kentucky’s history of horses and its flagship university’s students.
Cavender’s Boot City is opening its first Kentucky store in Lexington’s Fayette Mall on Aug. 22.
It joins other Western wear stores across Central Kentucky including Lexington’s Boot Barn, which is regarded as the largest Western retailer in the country by its number of stores that now exceed 460 and its multichannel sales.
El Alazan’s Western Wear, which specializes in children’s apparel and shoes, has three Lexington locations. Boot Depot, another store with a wide selection of cowboy boots and denim, has stores in Simpsonville, Frankfort and Louisville and Graham’s Boot, Work and Western Wear has a location in Winchester.
Cavender’s, apparently, is snubbing its nose at the competition.
It was founded by a husband and wife in 1965 in East Texas and now operates 100 stores. The Lexington Cavender’s is the chain’s 11th new store it’s opened this year.
Erik Garza, a Cavender’s district manager, said the chainstore rebranded some of its private label merchandise with horse imagery to match what some horse country customers might be looking for. The ladies boot section, he said, is catered to those University of Kentucky students wanting to complete their Saturday game day outfit.
“We cater to the universities by providing game day gear,” Garza said. “We kind of coordinate different colors in the store to go with the schools. So, in the women’s apparel and boots, there are different blue-colored tops.”
Also in the ladies section are more white, tall boots than some other stores because they are a go-to item for game day outfits, Garza said.
The more than 15,000-square-foot location will house the store’s selection of boots, men’s and women’s hats, jeans and Western accent accessories.
Men’s boot aisles take up most of the store and include some of the priciest items — one pair of the store’s boots are selling for almost $1,000 — but there is a section of boots for kids, boots for women and in between is a selection of denim and patterned shirts to match.
Customers can expect to find such well-known brands as Ariat, Wrangler, Stetson and others.
But the highlight of the store, its district manager said, is Cavender’s private label boot and clothing brands: Rockin’ C, Rafter C and JRC & Sons, named after the store’s founding Texas family.
The private label clothing collection, Rafter C, has everything from traditional snap-button downs, polo-like golf shirts and some outerwear for men. In the ladies section, the Rafter C clothing includes some patterned blouses and dresses.
Like some of its other locations, the store will have personalized services, including custom boot fitting and hat shaping.
The hat shaping service takes between 10 minutes and 45 minutes depending on design. It’s a free service, Garza said. Straw, felt and leather hats can be bought in store then shaped or customers can bring in their own.
The Cavender’s private label for boots includes tall tops, seven and snip toes and the more Western classic square, round and cutter toe.
Toward the exterior entrance of the store is its small work wear section with performance and activewear apparel and steel-toed boots.
Cavender’s will be open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. and on Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.
The store has an interior and exterior entrance next to Macy’s in suite 330. In the next few weeks, Cavender’s will host a grand opening with deals and discounts.
The store employs 23 people, Garza said, and will expand to closer to 30. All of the staff are part time and hired locally except for the store manager.
This story was originally published August 22, 2025 at 11:59 AM.
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