This Mississippi-Based Boot Company Should Be on Your Radar
Mississippi native Benjamin Bowen grew up riding horses and working the family farm. Today, he's channeling that lifelong Western lifestyle into Double B Boot Company, where every pair of boots tells a story. Image: Double B Boot Company
Four generations of farming, a lifelong love of Tennessee Walking Horses, and an appreciation for timeless craftsmanship all helped shape the vision behind Double B Boot Company. Today, founder Benjamin Bowen is building a Western boot brand thatβs as rooted in family as it is in style β one designed to feel at home whether youβre in the show ring, the office, or the field.
Benjamin grew up in Pontotoc, Mississippi, where his family has farmed for four generations. His childhood was spent outdoors riding horses, fishing, working alongside his dad during crop season, and living within minutes of extended family. βItβs something thatβs kind of in your blood that you just canβt really get away from,β he says.
His grandparents introduced him to showing Tennessee Walking Horses at an early age β something he still participates in today. In many ways, Benjaminβs upbringing laid the foundation for his eventual path into bootmaking.
After studying marketing and corporate relations at Ole Miss, Benjamin worked in real estate before taking a job in furniture manufacturing, an industry with deep roots in Northeast Mississippi. The experience sparked his interest in building a product from the ground up, and eventually, the right path became clear. βIβve always felt like my most confident self in a pair of boots,β he says. βWhether it was a dressy occasion, going to an office, or working outside, that was just me.β
From the beginning, Benjamin wanted Double B to strike a balance between function and timelessness. For him, a good boot begins with comfort. βThere are a lot of boots out there that maybe arenβt super comfortable, and can be equally pricey,β he says. βI wanted ours to feel wearable from the box, where the breaking-in period is very small.β
Design matters just as much, with Benjamin gravitating toward classic styles that customers can wear now and will still reach for years later. βWeβll play around with different colors and leathers, but we always gravitate back to something thatβs authentically Western,β he says. Available for men, women, and children, Double B boots can also be branded for a customized touch.
That homage to heritage shows up beyond the boot styles. In fact, many of Double Bβs boots are named for people and places near to Benjaminβs heart, including the ladies in his family who have shaped his life and business.
βIβve always been super grateful to be raised around really strong women,β he says, naming his mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister as central influences. βI donβt think I would have the confidence to do half of what I do without those female mentors.β He laughs that they keep him grounded, too: βPut-you-in-your-placers,β he says. βThey make me stronger.β
That family-centered approach has now found a physical home. Double B recently opened its first true storefront in downtown Pontotoc, inside a 100-year-old former antique shop with exposed brick walls and small-town character that canβt be manufactured. The store was another family effort, with Benjaminβs cousin handling renovations and his mother helping create an interior that honors the buildingβs legacy.
βWe keep it all in the family at Double B,β Benjamin says. βThatβs the beauty of living in a small town.β Benjamin envisions the storefront as equal parts retailer and gathering place. βWe want people to be able to stop by and not only try on some boots, but be able to hang out and swap stories. And weβre looking forward to hosting some exciting events in the future,β he says.
Even with the new storefront, Benjamin plans to keep taking Double B on the road so customers can experience the boots firsthand. βI love talking to and spending time with people,β he says. βItβs where I get my energy, and I think it carries over to my business.β
With events planned in Texas and Jackson, Mississippi, plus new styles arriving this fall, Double B continues to grow its presence across the South and beyond, from country music powerhouses to working farmers. βI feel like weβre almost having a new beginning in a lot of ways,β Benjamin tells us.
Benjaminβs own go-to pair is the Britt Farm boot, named after one of his familyβs farms. βThe name has a lot of special meaning,β he says. βItβs also a very functional, classic boot shape with a rubber sole, a cowboy heel, and a round toe. Itβs solid for whatever youβre doing.β
As Double B expands into new cities and new chapters, Benjamin remains focused on carrying forward his Mississippi legacy and his genuine love for the lifestyle behind the boot. βThatβs what Iβm most excited about,β he says, βbeing in more places with Double B, sharing our story, and giving a little bit of our product and life to the world.β
**********
Meet more amazing Southern people and places β follow us on Instagram!
Anne Marie Hanna
An Ole Miss alum residing in Nashville, Anne Marie is passionate about telling the stories shaping the South. Outside of work, youβll likely find her on a porch with a coffee and a good book, gardening, listening to music, or enjoying time with friends and family.