Dan Schwarz // MASTER BOOT MAKER
"The Artist"

Dan was raised in the ranch and farm country of north central Montana, and eventually settled in Dillon and Beaverhead county as a place to raise his family. After working in the cattle industry for several years, he hung up his spurs and made the life changing decision to buy the local boot and shoe repair shop, Blacktail Bootery. Dan went to St. Jo, Texas in January 2001 to study with Carl Chappell.  Walking away from the school in St. Jo feeling confident, he hung out his own shingle, and has been building boots ever since.

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Julia Schwarz // BOOT MAKER

Julia was born and raised in Idaho a stone's throw from Dillon.  She is an accomplished artist in her own right, and adds a great deal of color to the shop. Under the care of Schwarz Custom Boot's teachings, and her formal background as a jeweler and metal smith, Julia has utilized her artistic abilities to become a true asset to the heart of the shop. She joined the boot shop full time in the fall of 2007.

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Kody Brown // HEAD COBBLER & APPRENTICE 

Originally from Wyoming, Kody moved to Montana to study art education in 2011. Already a semi-accomplished ceramic potter, his love of working with his hands pushed him to apply for a position at Al’s Bootery in Billings where he first learned to repair boots. As his obsession with boots took seed he transferred universities, landing in Dillon, and came to Schwarz in 2014 to apply his trade as our head cobbler and eager boot making apprentice.