Brazos Trading

Um, I am bewildered by the other reviews. The boots here are not only used but used up! I notice there aren’t many reviews from this year as the place is a beat down fire hazard. 2 stars because the owner was sweet. Everything is filthy dirty and should have gone into a dumpster but instead was put on a shelf. I felt like I’d stumbled into a «Hoarders» tv episode.

I had an acting gig and needed cowboy boots. I found a pair that not only fit my costuming needs, but also were very gently used and way within my budget. I found my boots within 5 minutes of entering the store. I spent another 55 minutes mousing around. Charlie was very helpful when asked, but if you need to be hand led around the store, it ain’t happening (So…uh…get over yourself.) The shop probably could use a little more organization and a
sure to CALL first, like I did as I believe Charlie doesn’t work strictly by any set business
biggest regret was that I didn’t have additional cash to purchase another pair of boots that I saw and a few other eclectic things, the likes of which may only be found by chance.

Charlie is a stud! We spent an hour going through the boots, history and his amazing collection. I went in for boots and came out with some amazing vintage gear! A must for those looking for rare, hard to find — one of a kind boots and more.

Went here for the first time just bumming around, looking for old stuff to look at. Couldn’t believe the price of old boots, but we had fun. SECOND time I was here was because I needed cowboy boots for real, we bought a piece of property and the Poser Cowgirl stuff was over– I needed boots to stave off fire ants, chiggers and burrs, in no particular order. Charlie was as cool as he was the first time– a generous host, mention something and he’ll go out of his way to help you find it. First time it was pretty obvious we weren’t buying anything, he was still as friendly as could be, we talked about the weather for a while. While I wasn’t looking for cuteness, he does have some very cool boots with color and style– mine are comfortable, fit well and, best yet, already broken in! Place may not be for everyone– if you don’t enjoy the hunt, don’t bother, this place is not for anyone wanting a spoon-​fed shopping experience, you do have to work to find what you want– «smaller sizes are mostly over here» — «did you see the hats in the back?» Love the hunt, you’ll love Brazos!

If you are in the market for a sweet pair of boots and don’t intend on breaking the bank, this is your place! I brought a friend here on our first visit and she walked away with an awesome pair. I was prepared with cash on my second visit and found myself the perfect pair of boots. The average price is around $ 125 and you can’t beat that when it comes to high quality second– hand boots. Charlie is super nice and has a passion for finding handmade boots from all over Texas and beyond. He’ll likely have a story about each pair. Make sure to come with cash and you will find what you’re looking for!

Boots and bikes. This is the majority of the flotsam and jetsam.
Bought a cute little red mountain bike ($ 60) here for a friend who had a birthday coming up and wanted to learn to ride… great place for a first bike.
Large selection of reasonably priced, some exotic, used cowboy boots ($ 80-​$ 150) like the bikes, is hit or miss.

I was tipped off to this place by a friend who makes this the first stop for any of his visitors from Philly. I cannot overstate how lovely Charlie is, and how good my new boots look! Having a pretty common ladies shoe size, there wasn’t the largest selection of boots, but I still left with two pairs (even though I told myself I would just buy one) because I just couldn’t decide between them. Even leaving with two pairs of really nice boots, one pair almost new, I only spent $ 175. If you want to get some seriously quality footwear and have a nice time buying them, go here first!

After reading the previous reviews I called Charlie to make sure he was there. I recommend looking the store up on a map so you know which corner it’s on because the place is easy to miss and I had to circle around. His selection is good and I was able to find a really nice pair of ostrich boots for $ 150 which usually run for $ 300-​$ 500 and up if you buy them brand new.

Hard to find. Never open. Section of dirty magazines is not what I wanted my kids to come across when looking at cowboy boots. Totally unprofessional.

Want a no frills, fun yet efficient vintage boot shopping experience? Then this is the place. I just returned from buying my second pair of boots from Charlie at Brazos Trading Company. I recommend this place to everyone I meet that’s wanting some broken-​in, usually unique, affordable boots. The selection is huge and he typically asks my shoe size and then takes me around, pointing out which boots will fit. He is almost always right on and, after trying on a few today, I ended up purchasing the first pair he selected for me for a very reasonable $ 85. (I also have large feet for a woman and he’s never judged, just takes me right to the men’s section and points out the narrow boots that he thinks will fit.)
The store has never been closed when I’ve been by, but for such a selection and affordable prices, I’ll take it! He also has a good selection of men’s clothing and I picked up nice guayabera for my man for $ 15.
Be sure to bring cash or your checkbook as Charlie doesn’t accept credit cards, but he’s very willing to hold your items if you have to run home or to an ATM.

I really wanted to check out this place, but was bummed that they weren’t open when I was there. I understand going to a store and it being closed outside of their business hours… duh! However, I came within their posted hours and they were closed. I was excited when I saw the sign on the door that said to give the owner a call because he sometimes leaves the shop, but stays within the area. When I called I was disappointed to find out that he wasn’t in the area, will not be there shortly and will not be there for a few days. So the low rating is more for the inconsistency and the fact that if you’re going to own a place of business, be reliable and be there during your posted business hours.

My quest for vintage women’s cowboy boots ended today at Brazos Trading Co. Hallelu! I googled «women’s vintage cowboy boots Austin» and came up with lots of shops — most of them on South Congress. I’m sorry, but, I LOVE me some SoCo but I would never pay SoCo’s extremely inflated prices on vintage wear. I had some trouble finding the place as Brazos Trading Co. isn’t on any sign that I could see. Just look for the cool funky resale shops at the corner of Lamar and Brentwood. Like a previous reviewer said, there are walls and walls of boots. The owner, Charlie, was so kind. I had my 17 month old daughter with me and she never, ever stops moving. He was very helpful and patient with the two of us. Offered some good distractions for her, guided me to the area of women’s boots in my size and gave me good tips on sizing. Almost immediately I found my dream boots. AAAAH! So exciting! I literally have not stopped smiling all day. If you’re looking for a great pair of vintage boots, look no further.

My friends and I recently visited Austin and we were in search of great, affordable used cowboy boots. Someone at Franklin BBQ recommended this place and we were in boot heaven! It’s not in the heart of town, but is totally worth the drive. Charlie is the owner, and he’s such a sweet guy. You can tell he carefully purchases his merchandise and has a story for everything. There were walls and walls of boots. I highly recommend this for men and women. Great belts, leather jackets, glassware also.

A Craigslist search for used bikes led me to this shop, where I was giddy at the number of bikes that were available for sale. I’d guess that Charlie has 50+ bikes available at any given time. Most of them seem to be from the 19070s and 80s, a good era for bikes, and all are in reasonably good, though not perfect, condition. All of the frames I inspected were in great shape, but I noted many relatively minor issues on lots of the bikes, like flat tires, rusty chains and gears, rusted bolts, etc. Major and difficult-​to-​repair parts like bottom brackets and forks all seemed to be in great condition on all of the bikes I looked at. Basically, these bikes are easy to get into good shape by anyone with basic bike maintenance knowledge, or by any bike shop in the area.
Charlie is more than willing to let you take any bikes out for a test ride, and is open and honest about any repairs that may be necessary, and may adjust the price accordingly.
Ultimately, I found a bike that was close to a perfect fit for me. I was quoted $ 225 for a few of the bikes that I looked at, which is consistent with what you’ll find on Craigslist for similar bikes. The large selection here was a big advantage over Craigslist.
Biggest knock on the place for me is the inconsistent hours. Knowing whether the shop is open or not is a bit of a crapshoot, and though Charlie kindly makes himself available by posting his phone number on the door, I personally hate to impose myself like that.
The shop also seems to have an incredible selection of used cowboy boots, but I can’t say anything about their quality or price.
In general, I’d absolutely recommend this place for anyone shopping for a good quality used bike, but just be prepared for a bit of patience with their hours, and understand that a tune-​up afterwards will be required. Neat place!