Made in Missouri

JPs Boots

Posted at August 18, 2006 08:57

Master boot-maker Joe Patrickus, owner of JP’s Custom Handmade Boots in Camdenton, has been making boots for more than twenty-five years. The simple Western-style building that houses his shop and studio features natural woods and glass display cases of beautifully crafted footwear. Wooden shoe forms hang from the rafters, and antique sewing machines fill one side of the room.

Joe makes a great effort to create the perfect boot for each client. He enthusiastically describes the myriad of surprising options for creating a pair of custom boots, from embellishing with gold, silver, or jewels, or including an image of a favorite horse, cow, or even a car.

His work has been showcased in museum exhibits across the country and featured in two books written by Tyler Beard, The Cowboy Boot Book and The Art of the Boot.

He’s a fifth generation boot-maker. “I avoided the family business for years, but it’s in my genes. It’s my heritage, and I’m proud of that,” Joe says. He also passes on his skills through apprenticeship programs. His son, JP III, has joined the family business, becoming the sixth generation to make boots.

Visit jpsboots.com or call 573-346-7711. Boots start at $900.

-By Diane Huneke

April 2006

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