Scroll through the Lucchese timeline and click on any year for more detail:
1880
Sam Lucchese emigrates to America from Italy. He arrives through New Orleans and makes his way west to Texas.
1883
Sam's brothers join him in America shortly after. It is then Lucchese Bros. Boots and Shoes starts in San Antonio, TX. From the early days of the business through World War 1, Lucchese was hugely beneficial from the large presence of US Army cavalry stationed there at Fort Sam Houston.
1919
The small San Antonio shop can build 35 pairs of boots a day. Sam is interested in production and efficiency; he cares less about quality, and more about quantity. The more boots he had coming off the line, the happier he was. It is not until 10 years later that a perfectly crafted boot becomes the core of Lucchese Boots.
1923
Sam Lucchese Jr., son of Cosimo Lucchese, is born.
1923
Sam Sr. has his first stroke and Cosimo begins running everyday operations of the business. Sometime between now and 1929 he officially incorporates Lucchese Boot Company.
1929
Sam has his 2nd stroke and passes away; Cosimo takes over the company. Cosimo was different from his father. He believed boots should be made as perfectly as possible and that it was absolutey ok to sacrifice production numbers for an impeccable pair of boots. The Great Depression was, in a sense, a blessing for Lucchese. Cosimo had to lay off several of his workers and sell several of his machines. Orders dropped from 35 a day to 8. This allowed Cosimo to focus on each and every boot, ensuring every pair that left the shop was exceptionally crafted. His love of the craft and refusal to accept anything less than perfection is what made, and still makes, Lucchese boots the best in the business.
1949
In 1949 Acme Boot Company commissioned Lucchese Boot Company to build a collection of state boots for an advertising campaign. It took Lucchese an amazingly short four years to build the entire collection. Each state boot features unique and exact colors for the states flag, capital, bird, flower and state commodity.
1961
Sam Jr. takes over the business after his father dies.
1964
President LBJ to Sam Lucchese: "I can't wear any of the boots I've been given, except those you made for me."
1987
Company moves to El Paso, TX where it is still headquartered today.
2008
125 pairs of Lucchese 125th Anniversary Boots are made to celebrate the milestone.
2009
The Texas State Congress recognizes the success of Lucchese Boot Co. and its place in Texas history with House Concurrent Resolution 226
2012
Today, the El Paso, TX factory finishes 725 handcrafted boots of the highest-quality daily.
