By Kennedy Dendy | Broadcast Intern
With 26 years of experience in the leather industry, Jay Kelly, Baylor football alumnus, decided to mix his background in leatherwork with his love for Baylor.
“I had been getting a lot of requests for Baylor boots, and a lot of requests for non-Baylor boots, and making boots for my kids’ wedding parties and things like that,” Kelly said. “One of my sons, Colt, said ‘Dad, you ought to make this a business.’ Here we are. I got licensed by Baylor three months ago, and I’m starting to produce and manufacture cowboy boots with the BU logo on them.”
Kelly is the founder of City Ranch Boots, a custom cowboy boot business where his customers are able to design cowboy boots from a wide array of textures and colors.
“We make boots out of out all different types of exotics,” Kelly said. “The number one exotic-selling custom color is ostrich leather, and we have 48 colors in ostrich leather. What makes them really unique is that when I have a customer who needs a pair of boots, I actually go down to El Paso where my 17,000 square foot warehouse is, and I pick the leather out that goes into the boots.”
Kelly studied at Baylor from 1983-1986 and received playing time during the ‘84 and ‘85 season after being redshirted in ‘83. Now, Kelly has the opportunity to watch two of his sons play football for Baylor.
“Chad and Clint decided that they wanted to play football at Baylor University. Here we are, watching them run out of the tunnel and seeing them on the sidelines and now on the field. It is really, really fun,” Kelly said.
City Ranch Boots specializes in collegiate and corporate boots for both men and women.
“In five years from now, I’d like to have 500 to 1000 pairs just sitting in inventory with the website and all the Baylor people just choosing from their color, their skin, and their size, and do online shipping. Just have a good inventory of everything, so people don’t have to wait,” Kelly said.
If you are interested in buying a pair of your own, contact Jay Kelly at cityranchboot@gmail.com.
