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After the turn of the 20th century, the city of Quincy was a thriving commercial hub, alive with the whistles of steamboats and the rumble of rail cars snaking along the mighty Mississippi River. During this golden age for Quincy, Edd Boyer opened the doors in 1920 to Boyer’s Shoe Hospital, a small shoe repair shop that would grow into one of Quincy’s most enduring retail landmarks and eventually take on the name of Boyer’s BootNShoe.

“We started with shoe repair, and we filled a need of taking care of people’s shoe problems,” noted Gregg Boyer, grandson of Edd Boyer, and the third generation of the Boyer family to lead this renowned family business.

“We sell work boots. We sell cowboy boots,” said Jenn Myers, great grand daughter of Edd Boyer. “We sell children’s boots. We sell clothing, men’s and women’s shirts and jeans. We sell Western hats, ball caps, jewelry, wallets, knives. We sure sell a lot.”

“Being in business for this long and being the fourth generation, it doesn’t happen very often that you are generationally able to keep it together for that long within a family business,” added Jenn with a prideful smile. “I feel like we’ve got a really good family team here and that with some perseverance, we can make it through just about anything.”

A beginning: One step at time

Edd Boyer made several stops along the way before making Quincy his home.  “My grandfather came to Quincy in 1920 from the Oklahoma Territory,” Gregg recalled, explaining how his grandfather’s journey began in Oklahoma and then a stop in Kansas to work for a railroad.

“The train company changed its path and closed up the Horton, Kansas roundabout,” explained Gregg. “There was an opportunity in Quincy, Illinois. So, he moved here in 1920 with my grandmother.”

Edd Boyer’s original shoe hospital was built on craftsmanship and shoe repair, because many people could not even afford new footwear in those days. Gregg’s own journey at Boyer’s BootNShoe started when he was just 10 years old. “I’d come in on Saturdays and sweep the floor. Hand sew baseballs, relace ball gloves, dye shoes, do things little things that my dad didn’t want to do.”

Though initially hesitant about following the family tradition, Gregg said he  found his calling with the family business because of a pivot to incorporate  retail. The business transformed significantly during the 1970s, starting with fringe leather jackets. A pivotal moment came with the introduction of Tony Lama boots to Boyer’s, chosen because, as Gregg’s father noted, “That’s what all the movie stars wore.” Gregg said the release of the hit movie “Urban Cowboy” jump started the store’s expansion into western wear and ultimately a move to a larger location in Quincy.

Today, Boyer’s BootNShoe has adapted to modern needs, with a strong toehold on industrial safety wear sales and repairs in the region. Boyer’s even has its own mobile trailer service, which brings work boots directly to local manufacturing plants, and it developed a corporate billing system which facilities the ability of industrial personnel to charge the cost of their work boots to their companies.

“Slim” is still at Boyer’s

If you were to walk the streets of Quincy and ask almost anyone about “Slim,” and you are likely to hear about the quirky cowboy who has been a constant on local TV and radio and knows all about Boyer’s BootNShoe.

“In the 80s, I decided I wanted to do some more advertising, and we came up with a commercial character named Slim,” laughed Gregg as he described his alter ego with the signature twang of Slim. ‘His famous slogan is ‘Boots or Nothing.’”

Gregg put together a new round of commercials featuring Slim not too long ago, but acknowledged that his days of active living are shrinking because he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. His right had shakes noticeably because of the disease, which has also diminished the strength and the volume of his voice.

“Not working as much these days because I’m battling Parkinson’s,” stated Gregg with honest resolve as he paused to collect his thoughts. “Makes me cry a lot. I still like coming to work. I enjoy work. I enjoy the customers. I enjoy the employees. Just can’t do some of the things I used to do, but I’ve taught people well how to do it for me.”

The Boyer Family is in the process of transitioning ownership from its third generation in Gregg, to his children, Jenn and Matt, with fifth-generation granddaughters, Vanna and Zoe, already working in the store. Gregg stressed that he knows the business Edd Boyer founded in 1920 is in good hands and will flourish for years to come.

“I think it’d be fun to toss the kids the keys, and and I’ll let them take over it and see what they can do with the business, give them their own dreams and hopes,” said Gregg with pride.

There used to more 42 shoe repair shops in Quincy according to Gregg Boyer who said that that Boyer’s is now the last of its kind in the city. Boyer’s BootNShoe has been remarkably adaptable over its evolution of more than a century by embracing change and new technology.
The team at Boyer’s BootNShoe has implemented online sales, computerizing inventory, maintaining fresh product offerings and effectively connected to customers with relevant social media engagement.

Yes, Boyer’s BootNShoe still repairs shoes and boots as its done since 1920, but their expertise is far more expansive. Boyer’s can carry out simple zipper repair, create leather belts, mend purses or even stitch together a tarp. Boyer’s is so well known for its quality of work that customers nationwide pack up and ship their repairs to Boyer’s knowing the job will be done right.

Gregg credits his father’s emphasis on personalized customer service as a core to the success of Boyer’s. He says unlike big box stores, Boyer’s focuses on understanding customer needs and ensuring satisfaction.

“You get to come in, and we’re going to find out what you need,” explained Gregg. “We’re going to try to fit you in something that works for you. We want you to leave a happy customer. We want you to stay a happy customer and come back and see us again.”

A cornerstone in Quincy

Shake hands with Gregg Boyer, and you can feel the pride he has in his retail mainstay in Quincy. There are days customers line up outside the start of a workday at Boyer’s in order to buy the latest industrial boots.

“I want the people of Illinois to know that retail is a good profession to be in. It’s very rewarding,” said Gregg with a smile. “I love retail because of the customers and the people and the employees. I love helping people.”

“If my great grandpa Edd Boyer was around (today), I think he’d say, ‘Well, I’ll be. Would you look at what they’ve done with what I started?,’” said Jenn with a loving smile. “I think he’d be pretty proud of all of us.”

Central Illinois

Diamond Cards

IRMAJanuary 17, 2025

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