Explore Other Luminaries:

Dave Acosta & Daniel SanchezSusan & Ron Anderson Jim HollisterTom LehmanDhargya Lobsang

Dave McGaryPavle MilicSusan Morrow PotjeTom NewmanB.J. Tatro

The Perfect Fit

Each year, Experience Scottsdale profiles a selection of local celebrities, from restaurateurs and sports figures to artists and adventurers. We invite you to meet this year’s luminaries and find out what they have to say about living, working and enjoying life in Scottsdale.

If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a fabulous pair of Western boots, J. Gilbert Footwear in downtown Scottsdale is your perfect fit. The store, founded in Seattle by owner John Gilbert more than 20 years ago, opened its third branch in Scottsdale in 2009. Thanks to the talents of store manager Daniel Sanchez and buyer/ boot designer David Acosta, J. Gilbert has been fitting clients with exquisite custom Western boots ever since.

“The best thing about designing boots is that the inspiration comes from our customers,” says Sanchez. Using a variety of leathers, tooling techniques and stitch patterns, the designers at J. Gilbert Footwear and the craftsmen at their production partner Lucchese can bring almost any design to life in leather.

“We helped one customer design a pair of boots that has an all-tooled bucking bronco on one boot and an all-tooled portrait of his wife on the other,” says Acosta. “Not only did the boots fit great, they were totally unique and personal to him.” If you’re not ready to design your own pair, J. Gilbert offers a variety of stunning store-designed boots off the shelf in sizes ranging from 7 to 16EEE.

As for opening J. Gilbert’s newest store in Scottsdale, it just seemed like a natural fit. “Scottsdale is the fashion capital of Arizona,” says Acosta. “It’s simply one of the best places in the world to shop.”