Bootmaker
Armando Duarte Rios
Armando Duarte Rios ran Armando’s Boot Company in Raymondville, Texas, carrying on the trade of his uncle Abraham Rios, whose shop had been the town’s biggest, serving ranches including the King Ranch. By 2002 he had 45 years of bootmaking experience and was known for fancy inlay work and stitching patterns up to ten rows wide.
Related: Abraham Rios
History
Armando Duarte Rios ran Armando's Boot Company in Raymondville, Texas, and was profiled in Joe Nick Patoski's June 2002 Texas Monthly list of Texas bootmakers. His uncle, Abraham Rios, had once run Raymondville's biggest boot shop, serving ranches including the King Ranch, and the profile credited Armando with putting 45 years of experience into each boot.
His specialties were fancy inlays and stitching up to ten rows wide, with pairs starting around $420 and taking eight to ten weeks. Clients named in the profile included former Texas Governor Mark White, former House Speaker Gib Lewis, and actors Sean Penn, Peter Coyote, and Willie Nelson.
Known for
Fancy inlays and stitching up to ten rows wide