Exploring Life & Business with Paulette Swan of Boot Junky

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paulette Swan. They and their team shared their story with us below:

Boot Junky is owned and operated by husband and wife team Greg and Paulette Swan. Their business evolved organically over a decade ago when the 2 of them had pivoted professionally from flipping homes after the real estate collapse 2008. That’s when Greg found a cross-country truck driving position, and Paulette started Baubles, Belts & Bling, where she worked from home designing and modifying custom belts, sunglasses, and conchos. They eventually started an eBay page where they resold treasures they found at discount stores. For them, where there is a will, there is a way, and both were motivated by the desire they shared to not return to their careers in the car business where they first met. Paulette has always been a hyper-creative, goal-oriented, self-starter, and Greg, the always supportive, hard-working, logical problem solver. The 2 of them leaned on each other during the early stages of the business, and each brought something different and beneficial to the table. In hindsight, all their decisions helped lay the foundation for what Boot Junky is today.

When Paulette was attending markets for the business that would eventually be Boot Junky, she was looking for new products and inspiration but found an opportunity. Being the social butterfly that she is, Paulette had made connections with many of the vendors, and it was her contact at Lane Boots that first convinced her to consider selling boots. This was back when Lane Boots produced Double D Ranch, and Paulette was so taken with their unique styles that she went for it. The minimum order required her to order 3 different styles, 6 pairs of each, for 18 pairs, and afterward, she panicked and called Greg. “I can’t believe what I just did,” she said. He calmly asked her, “Can you sell them for what you paid?” She thought and answered, “Well, yes.” “Then go for it; what’s the risk!” he replied. So they did!

Greg and Paulette always had 1 hard and fast rule about their business. They would never borrow or pay a penny in interest to build it. Greg worked at a job he hated to offer the reliable financial support they needed while continuing to grow Boot Junky. They continued to sell items on eBay, and in fact, that eBay page is still active and with a 5-star rating and now hosts the hundreds of styles Boot Junky offers in addition to their website. They started small and through every cent they made into the business until it could support itself. Year over year, their sales grew. Greg could eventually leave truck driving, and the business quickly exceeded their expectations. They operated out of their home until they ran out of bedrooms to hold the boots and eventually had to rent a storefront in Scottsdale. There are still original Boot Junky customers who recall shopping at their house, and some lucky few even got to purchase rare and hard-to-find styles straight from Paulette’s closet.

Today, Paulette designs and orders the business, and Greg manages the business side of things and tends to the needs of the storefront. They have 2 employees, a family friend, and their daughter. They get asked regularly about expanding or franchising, but they have kept it small for a reason. They believe in outstanding customer service like Nordstroms used to, and they want to ensure they keep that personalized touch that separates them from all the other retailers. We have customers who have cried because real people answer the phone and offer their knowledge to help guide them to make the right purchase, or we offer genuine support and care when a situation needs fixing. Boot Junky is a local gem, but the truth is it is Greg and Paulette’s passion and dedication that have made it so special.

Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Building a business from scratch is always with its hurdles, but we grew it organically, and we never got ahead of ourselves financially, which made it pretty smooth. We never put ourselves in a situation where we had to decide out of desperation. We have had to problem-solve several things over the years, and some of those problems we just had to let go of. For example, we wanted to evolve how we did inventory but needed help finding a scanner to communicate with our multiple selling channels to update inventory. After several failed attempts and expensive hardware purchases, we gave in. We still take an old-school inventory with a printed list on a clipboard and a pen. It works. It isn’t the easiest way, but it’s accurate. We have had vendors change their styles, ordering guidelines, and delivery windows, so we must be flexible. We try to remember that when a door closes, open a window, and God isn’t going to throw anything at us that we can’t handle. The most challenging struggle is when you must persevere in the face of tragedy, but we are lucky to own our business and make changes that work for us in those difficult times. We are also very fortunate to have the supportive customer base we do, and that makes navigating the hard stuff easier.

Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Boot Junky specializes in vintage, hard-to-find, exclusive, and unique women’s fashion boots. We are one of the largest Old Gringo retailers in the Southwest and the largest US retailer of our favorite Italian brand, El Vaquero. We love color and style and care about comfort. We are the only retailer in town that offers complimentary boot stretching when you buy boots with us. Many women need to realize that if a boot fits right away, there are tricks to help make that boot work for you. Our boots are leather, and we vet every retailer before they join our product lineup. We are fearless in taking risks or listening to feedback from our customers. You get to speak to real people when you call and need assistance, and we care about you and value your decision to spend your hard-earned dollar with us. We are also not too proud to help you find a boot you love that we may need access to, even if it means sending you to a competitor. Think Miracle on 34th St. Santa, who sends people to Gimbels. The customer matters, and many businesses have strayed away from that. The rest will care for themselves if you offer people the most incredible customer service. We proudly sponsor the Miss Rodeo Arizona pageant and enjoy supporting local organizations when possible. We offer private shopping experiences for groups looking to have a fun night trying on boots after hours.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Our business relies on word of mouth. We are a small, local, family-owned business, so it is the word of our customers that brings people in. Tag us on social media, write a review, tell a friend, or think of us for your next girls’ trip to Nashville or a country concert.

Pricing:

• We offer boots from $150-$1600

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bootjunky.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bootjunky/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bootjunky

Image Credits
Stephanie Siete, Carissa Gould, Miss Rodeo Arizona