Willie Lusk Jr.
Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(1914-1976) Born in 1914 in San Angelo, Willie Lusk Jr. worked as a shoeshine boy in N.A. Brown's boot shop when he was 12 years old. He then apprenticed with Czech bootmaker Frank Urban, earning a daily wage of one dollar. In 1934, Lusk moved to Lubbock and worked for Brown's brother, E.E. Brown, at Brown's boot and saddle shop on Broadway. After a few years, Lusk was promoted to foreman, overseeing 22 other bootmakers. In 1940, he married Dunbar H.S. teacher Mildred Kavanaugh; the couple had three children. Benny Binion, wealthy Dallas gambler, was a frequent customer and asked why Lusk, a skilled craftsman and good manager, was not operating his own shop. When Lusk said he had no funds to get started, Binion loaned him the money at a time when few African Americans in Lubbock owned a business. Lusk set up his new boot shop at 1706 Ave. A. Within six months of opening in 1946, Lusk's boot shop received enough orders to put him and his employees six months behind. Lusk promoted his business by touring western states to bring in new customers from rodeos, livestock shows and Binion's Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. Lusk traced customers' feet directly onto the order form alongside notes and measurements. He did not sign his boots with any logo or trademark, but many are identified by his distinctive flame stitch variation and by use of wooden pegs instead of nails in the soles. His handcrafted boots were sought out by actors, musicians, politicians and working cowboys around the world. The business also grew through positive referrals and national press, such as a 1951 Coronet magazine article titled "Texas King of Cowboy Boots." In 1952, Lusk moved into a larger storefront to accommodate the increased demand. His work remains valued for its craftsmanship and artistry. (2021)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Willie Lusk Jr. started shining shoes at twelve and apprenticed under a Czech bootmaker for a dollar a day before rising to foreman over 22 bootmakers in Lubbock. When a Dallas gambler asked why such a skilled craftsman had no shop of his own, he loaned Lusk the money — a rare chance for a Black business owner in 1946. Lusk's handcrafted boots, marked by a distinctive flame stitch and wooden-pegged soles rather than any logo, were sought by actors, musicians, and cowboys worldwide.
Why it matters
Lusk's rise from shoeshine boy to an internationally acclaimed bootmaker is a story of Black entrepreneurship and West Texas craftsmanship, preserving an artistry that helped define the American cowboy boot.
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Related people
- · Willie Lusk Jr.
- · Benny Binion
Themes & tags
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