A Boot Collector Feature
A Norwegian immigrant who learned the trade working for Justin left to open his own shop, and built boots good enough that two U.S. presidents and John Wayne wore them.
Carl Olsen, a Norwegian immigrant shoemaker, started out working for Justin Boots in Nocona, Texas, around the turn of the century. In 1900 he struck out on his own, relocating to Henrietta in North Central Texas to open his own shop. Julius Stelzer joined him in 1934, lending the company the name it's carried ever since. Olsen's own stated philosophy, preserved in the company's history, was simple: "make you the best boots you have ever had, or that can be produced, from the standpoint of select materials, styles and workmanship."
The shop built a serious reputation on the strength of that promise. By 1939, Olsen-Stelzer was turning out 500 pairs a week — serious volume for a custom-oriented maker — and had already picked up a clientele that included some of the era's biggest names. In 2018 a Dallas investor group led by Thomas Gleason acquired Olsen-Stelzer; the same group later relaunched the Dixon Boot Company.
Custom handmade boots with striking inlay designs, built with the kind of material and construction standards Olsen set out to hit from day one. The brand's celebrity client list is a genuine piece of mid-century Americana rather than marketing embellishment.
From one Norwegian shoemaker's own shop in 1900 to boots on two presidents and John Wayne — a serious mid-century run for a Texas custom maker.
See more at olsenstelzerboots.com