Today we’d like to introduce you to Cody Courtney.
Hi Cody, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My wife, whose family owns and operates Gruene Hall, the Gristmill, and several other establishments in Gruene, and I opened Gruene Hat Company in March of 2019 after numerous trips to Colorado and other western towns with captivating cowboy hat stores. Due to Gruene’s rich cowboy culture, a cowboy hat store would perfectly fit and complement the overall Gruene experience. After operating the hat store for three years and needing an answer to customers’ questions about where to buy a pair of boots, we decided that the next step would be to expand and open a cowboy boot store we just opened on March 1st, 2023. So we’ll see how that goes.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
We have been fortunate enough to overcome some major hurdles. By no means we came out of the gate strong in 2019 only to be hit with COVID closures on our first anniversary (March 6th, 20202), and supply chains have been a nightmare since. This is a testament to our team and excellent wholesale distribution partners, who have been alongside us in this fight and helped us navigate the struggles.
We’ve been impressed with Gruene Hat Company and Gruene Boot Company, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Gruene Hat Company is located in the Gruene Mercantile Building, just “two steps” away from Gruene Hall – the oldest dance hall in Texas. Home of HD Gruene’s original bank vault, Gruene Hat Co. boasts a wide array of felt, straw, hemp, palm leaf cowboy hats, and other western goods such as leather gloves, wild rags, and cowhide products. Occupying less than 250 square feet, Gruene Hat Co. has a 5:1 Hat to SF ratio, so if you can’t find the perfect hat for you, it’s your damn vault. We specialize in customizing cowboy hats. Gruene Boot Company is also located in the Gruene Mercantile Building, directly behind the hat store. We opened in March 2023 and carried various cowboy boots for all walks of life.
Contact Info:
- Website:gruenehatco.com
- Instagram: gruenehatco and gruenebootco
