D’Fiesta Boots and Gowns brings unique options to Montgomery

(This story has been updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)

With a selection ranging from cowboy boots to homecoming dresses, Montgomery's latest retail store is has a unique set of offerings rooted in the owner's family history.

D’Fiesta Boots and Gowns, as the name suggests, offers a combination of elegant party dresses and a large variety of Western wear, ranging from the titular boots to pants, shirts and belt buckles.

Owner Bradley Tadeo said the idea for the store began as a mom-and-pop operation that his parents ran in Hoover, Alabama. Tadeo said he and his sister looked to take the family business to the next level, resulting in the siblings opening D’Fiesta Boots and Gowns in Montgomery about a year ago.

“Mom was always a stay-at-home-mom, and to be honest, I think she was just bored at the house … so she decided to open a dress shop,” Tadeo said. “One day, my dad was gifted a pair of boots he didn’t want, so my mom put them in the window and sold them the next day, so then my dad took over a corner with just boots, and then next thing you know, the boots were half the store.”

Tadeo said he started off not connected to Western wear and the culture at all, that it was more so his parents’ hobby in the store than his own. However, his parents being in the Western wear business was part of his first exposure to it, and he hasn’t looked back since.

Tadeo said a big part of serving the community that enjoys Western wear is being sure to stock brands that are well-liked and reputable because “if they’ve been in business for so long, it’s for a reason.” As such, the store features brands the likes of Wrangler, Ariat, Twisted X, Charlie Horse, Stetson and Cuadra.

Part of the store’s stock that Tadeo is particularly fond of is what Tadeo calls the store’s “petting zoo” — their selection of exotic leathers. Among the choices on the wall — which Tadeo said start around $369 for their rarity and quality — are elephant, caiman, python, ostrich, bass fish, alligator and stingray.

Tadeo said the boots are integral to Western wear culture for a number of reasons, including the status certain boots carry as well as the work that goes into them in general.

“After a while, you learn to appreciate these handmade boots and how they support the economy,” Tadeo said. “People work hard to make these, and people wear them and enjoy them.”

The right side of the store takes a huge departure from stingray leather boots and Wrangler shirts — racks upon racks of party dresses, homecoming dresses, prom dresses, and Quinceanera dresses in all kinds of bright and pastel colors fill the isles.

The store also includes exotic caps and wallets, cowboy hats, accessories for hats and boots, bolo ties, belt buckles and cleaning products for boots.

“We have everything [Western wear] that you can find, and if you can’t find what you’re looking for… to be honest, it’s probably not in Montgomery,” Tadeo said.

Tadeo said, apart from continuing the family business, he thinks that D’Fiesta Boots and Gowns fills a unique niche in the Montgomery market.

“People think Western wear is a dying business, you know, that older people wear it and then it falls off [in popularity],” Tadeo said. “But we’ve seen a resurgence of young people wearing it, especially with artists like Morgan Wallen, which is sort of how I got introduced to it, and I think that’s really cool.”

Tadeo said he graduated with his master’s degree in accounting recently, and while he was in his studies, he had set his sights on achieving this Montgomery location. Next, he said he hopes to amp up exposure and eventually expand to other major Alabama cities in the future, namely, Huntsville and possibly Tuscaloosa.

“Montgomery has been a very underserved market; I don’t think there’s been a boot store here for several years. We hope the people of Montgomery enjoy it, we’re excited.”

D’Fiesta Boots and Gowns is located at 6075 Atlanta Highway, and its hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, and they are closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Sarah Clifton covers business for the Montgomery Advertiser. You can reach her at [email protected] or follow her on X @sarahgclifton.