The Story Behind Austin’s Most Famous Boots

If you’ve been to Austin in the last 40 years, you’ve likely passed the oversized shimmering red boot along South Congress Avenue. This iconic landmark sits atop a limestone-clad building, drawing the attention of tourists, professional ranchers, and celebrities alike.

Long before South by Southwest and the throngs of Austin transplants set upon the city, Steve Greenberg opened up Allens Boots to serve his community. Since its opening nearly 50 years ago, Allens Boots has ridden the wave of trends, fads, population booms, and busts.

As an Austin native, the giant cowboy boot on South Congress feels like a part of the landscape that’s been there forever. In today’s edition of my Austin Founders series, I’m excited to explore the history behind Allens Boots and the secrets to its lasting success.

The History of Allens Boots 

Like all great stories, Allens Boots was founded through generations of entrepreneurial spirit. Its founder, Stephen (or Steve, as his family calls him) Greenberg, is a third-generation apparel salesman. Greenberg’s great-grandfather sold menswear in Omaha, Nebraska, while his grandfather opened his first shoe store in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1948. He later became one of the first employees of Payless Shoes, before branching out on his own. 

In the following years, Steve’s grandfather opened a chain of stores named Murfy’s Shoes, first in Texarkana and later in Grand Prairie. Competition was fierce for everyday shoes in the area, so when a competing shoe retailer moved next door, Steve’s father pivoted and began selling boots exclusively. And with that, Murfy’s Boots was born in 1965. 

Steve Greenberg grew up surrounded by this rich retail history, spending his youth in the aisles of his father’s stores and absorbing the ins and outs of the business. By the late 1970s, his father sent him to San Antonio to scout a new location for Murfy’s, but fate had other plans. 

Building a True Austin Landmark 

During his scouting expedition, Steve stopped in Austin to help his brother, Kenny, move into a new apartment. That detour changed everything. Instead of continuing on to San Antonio, he took a closer look at Austin’s retail landscape. 

What Steve found was that Austin was primed for a boots store, especially on South Congress. SoCo in the 70’s was nothing like it appears today. In the late 1970s, the area had a much grittier feel, with cracked sidewalks, overgrown weeds, and little foot traffic. But Greenberg wasn’t deterred. He recognized potential where others saw a decline.

Determined to find the perfect location, he took an old-school approach. He tore out the “Western Stores” page from the Yellow Pages, marked every existing boot shop on a map, and drove around the city to scout the competition. 

After visiting multiple locations, he found what he believed to be the ideal spot: a small cluster of three storefronts at the corner of South Congress Avenue and West Monroe Street. The previous tenants (a pair of furniture stores and a copy shop) had left behind an unassuming space, but Greenberg envisioned something far greater.

Rather than opening another Murfy’s Boots under his family’s existing brand, he decided to carve out his own legacy. He named the store Allens Boots after his middle name, launching what would become an Austin institution. 

From Humble Beginnings to a Texas Icon

The Greenbergs quickly got to work and renovated the newly christened Allens Boots. Three years after its opening, the release of Urban Cowboy catapulted Western wear into mainstream fashion. The 1980 film, which starred John Travolta as a Houston oil refinery worker, romanticized the rugged cowboy aesthetic for a nationwide audience. The film fueled a cultural phenomenon that made pearl-snap shirts, bolo ties, and cowboy boots a must-have fashion statement.

The demand for Justin Boots in particular was so high that shipments barely made it inside the store before selling out. At times, the frenzy was so intense that employees did not even have a chance to unload inventory onto the shelves because customers were buying boots directly from the delivery trucks as soon as they arrived.

Seemingly overnight, Western fashion became a mainstream trend embraced by city dwellers and celebrities alike. Boots were suddenly versatile, worn with everything from denim to dresses, and demand skyrocketed. Allens Boots, already establishing itself as a trusted name in Austin, found itself at the center of the craze.

Ebbs and Flows 

Urban Cowboy served as a great jumpstart, but as all fads do, the cowboy boot craze faded. By the late 1980s, Allens Boots was struggling, and foot traffic had slowed. The Western wear boom had given way to new trends, and the store’s future was uncertain. But in 1987, a fledgling music festival began to breathe new life into Austin’s economy.

South by Southwest (SXSW) started as a small music festival to showcase up-and-coming bands in the downtown Austin area. In its early years, most of the crowds remained in that concentrated area, but as the festival grew in the early 1990s, visitors began to venture beyond the downtown core. Some found their way to South Congress. For tourists looking to take home a piece of Texas, Allens Boots was a natural stop. A visit to Austin wasn’t complete without trying on a cowboy hat or slipping into a pair of handcrafted boots. 

Steve’s son, Sean Greenberg, recalls that business had been tough for most of his childhood, but SXSW changed everything. As the festival expanded, so did Allens Boots’ customer base, with musicians, industry professionals, and international visitors all wanting a piece of authentic Western wear. What had once been a struggling business found itself thriving once again. Today, SXSW remains one of the store’s most profitable times of the year.

Adapting to Change

The initial success of the 1980s led to an ambitious expansion, with Allens Boots growing to six Central Texas locations. However, as shopping habits shifted and competition increased, maintaining multiple stores became unsustainable. Over time, most of the additional locations closed, leaving the original South Congress store as the company’s flagship. Today, Allens Boots also has an additional location in Fredericksburg, and a custom boot shop in El Paso, which operates on an appointment-only basis for those seeking a more personalized experience.

Rather than resisting change, the Greenbergs embraced it. Recognizing that not every customer could afford the premium, handcrafted boots, they also launched Allens Boots Lite in 2022. Located just down the street from the main store, this outlet specializes in discounted Western wear and Allen boots at more affordable prices. To make shopping even more accessible, customers can even negotiate prices.

While respecting family tradition, Sean Greenberg and his wife, Lauren McAuliffe Greenberg, are taking Allens Boots into a new era. The couple, who live above the South Congress store, have big plans for the future. Sean and Lauren have worked hard to adapt Allens to the digital age, expanding their online presence year after year. Understanding the growing importance of e-commerce, the company has been expanding its online business and recently hired its first marketing manager to lead these efforts.

In addition to their digital innovations, the Greenbergs are committed to maintaining Allens’ cultural relevance by hosting musical events at their South Congress location. These events bring a lively, local energy to the store. Through their efforts to blend tradition with innovation, the Greenbergs are ensuring that Allens Boots remains a beloved part of Austin’s identity for years to come.

Trust, Quality, and Word of Mouth

While the Greenbergs have embraced digital marketing to expand their reach they still stay true to the values of their business. Their thoughtful modern digital strategies alongside their longstanding tradition of quality allows Allens Boots to continue thriving.

Largely, Allens Boots has built its reputation the old-fashioned way: word of mouth and generational trust. With more than 4,000 boots representing 12 manufacturers, Allens Boots boasts the largest selection of cowboy boots under one roof in the world. But beyond its impressive inventory, what truly sets the store apart is its commitment to craftsmanship and quality. 

Allens relies on the traditional handmade Texas boot-making process, using only the finest materials, including alligator, ostrich, elephant, hippo, and buffalo skins. Each pair is designed to be a lifelong investment, meant to mold to the wearer’s foot over time. This is something mass-produced fashion boots simply can’t replicate.

This dedication to authenticity is why Allens Boots continues to thrive despite increasing competition from newer Western wear brands. Employees at Allens take pride in upholding tradition, often noting that some competitors stray from classic craftsmanship by incorporating plastic and cork into their designs. These shortcuts not only reduce durability but also alter the structure of a true cowboy boot. 

At Allens, the philosophy remains simple: a cowboy boot should consist of nothing more than the foot, high-quality leather, and the floor. By staying true to this time-honored approach, Allens ensures that every pair is built to last. They offer the comfort and longevity that mass-produced fashion boots simply cannot match.

Whether it’s a lifelong rancher or a visitor looking for an authentic taste of Texas, Allens Boots continues to be the go-to destination. Time and again, they’ve proved proving that true craftsmanship and word-of-mouth trust will always stand the test of time.

Looking Forward

What makes Allens Boots so important to Austin is its deep-rooted connection to the city’s unique character. While Austin is known for its eclectic blend of cultures, its love for live music, and its status as a tech hub, Allens Boots anchors the city to its Western history. The giant red cowboy boot perched atop the building has become an iconic image. It continues to draw in tourists, local ranchers, and celebrities alike.

In a city that prides itself on being “weird” and unconventional, Allens Boots stands as a testament to the importance of tradition and authenticity. And at the heart of that tradition is the Greenberg family. In recent years, Steve Greenberg has taken a step back from the day-to-day operations, but the legacy is far from over. 

His son, Sean Greenberg, is now the fourth-generation steward of the business, keeping the family’s retail spirit alive. As the torch passes from one generation to the next, Allens Boots is poised to continue serving Austin, with the same passion and commitment to quality that has defined it for decades. The Greenberg family’s dedication ensures that, no matter how much Austin evolves, the spirit of the Old West—and Allens Boots—will remain a cherished part of the city’s heart.