Growing up, Alvie Faulkenbery IV and Clay Sexton always wore flip-flops. They’re Texas natives, but never were partial to cowboy boots when they were young.
But then Faulkenbery’s grandfather passed away, and he inherited a haul of footwear that changed his life.
“I actually inherited 13 of his broken-in, beautiful cowboy boots. And, frankly, I never thought I’d ever wear them. I ended up keeping them in my attic for years,” Faulkenbery told Texas Standard.
“Several years later, I dressed up like Jim Morrison for a Halloween costume and put on a pair of his boots, and they’re comfortable and they’re beautiful and I was a little bit taller and they are awesome! … And from that day on, I was a boot and flip-flop kind of guy!”
That boot and flip-flop combo led to a business idea for Faulkenbery and Sexton. The duo started Alvies, a boot and flip-flop-maker for people who embody the spirit of the “Modern Texan” – and for those who like to give back through their purchases. Sexton says Faulkenbery’s Halloween costume was the “eureka” moment for their new company.
“When Alvie came up with the boots and flip-flops – when he said it to me – it was just, [it] clicked right way. I was like, ‘I’m in, 100%.'”
Faulkenbery says Alvies would never have existed had he never inherited his grandfather’s boots. And today, he’s proud to give them a second life.
“What that means is that they last two lifetimes,” Faulkenbery said. “They got my grandfather’s truths behind them, and they’ve got scratches. … He lived in these boots and that’s pretty neat, alone. Very few shoes actually have that or you’d want to keep them for that long. But these – I’m continuing the story of my grandfather’s boots.”
