Fort Western Stores
Encyclopedia
Fort Western Stores is a Nebraska
-based multi-channel marketer specializing in western lifestyle merchandise including jeans, shirts, cowboy boots, hats, saddles and tack, old west clothing, work wear and home décor.
, established in 1972 by Carl and Shirley Wohlfarth,
The enterprise began with their children’s love for horse
s. When the tack shop the Wohlfarths frequented for years closed, it ignited the idea for them to start their own shop.
The first store opened as a one-room horse tack
shop on 48th and Old Cheney Rd. in Lincoln, Nebraska
. Carl and Shirley worked part-time in the store while working full time to support the family, Shirley as a nurse and Carl as a lieutenant in the Lincoln Fire Department. As the business grew, they added jeans and boots to their product offering.
In 1987, Fort Western relocated its Lincoln store from 48th and Old Cheney Rd. to the Alamo center at 56th and Hwy 2 where the tack shop grew from a one-room display to the largest in the Midwest. The Lincoln store now occupies over 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²) of retail
space and the product mix has expanded to include western jewelry, outerwear
, belts, suits, home décor, collectibles and even furniture… all reflecting the western lifestyle
.
The Lincoln store’s two-story unique floor plan includes an Old West Shop http://www.fortwestern.com/store/home.php?cat=214 with authentic reproductions of 19th-century historic cowboy
clothing and accessories. The lower level houses other specialized areas including a cowboy shop and workwear department. The store’s large selection of merchandise and unique decor attracts general shoppers as well as western lifestyle
enthusiasts. Customers fly in from all over the country to visit the store. Even country music legend Garth Brooks
has shopped the Fort’s aisles.
Fort Western's “Fort Frontier” brand is attached to shooter and range
boots, commonly used in cowboy action shooting
, sold in their Old West Shop. The Fort Western used a similar
process to design one-of-a-kind custom Husker
boots that were custom
made and signed by Nebraska Husker coaches. The Husker boots were
auctioned off at the 2009 Cattlemen's Ball to raise money for cancer
research.
In 1993, Fort Western added a second retail
store in Nebraska City, Nebraska
. With 16000 square feet (1,486.4 m²), the store is the second largest western-style outfitter in Nebraska. Nebraska City is the headquarters for the Fort Western catalog. The catalog publishes several times throughout the year and is distributed to all 50 states in the US and about 12 international countries.
In 2000, Fort Western took their store online, adding eCommerce to their existing retail and catalog marketing channels.
Today the Fort Western is one of the largest western wear
outfitter
s in the Midwest and continues to grow with plans to expand its retail store locations.
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
-based multi-channel marketer specializing in western lifestyle merchandise including jeans, shirts, cowboy boots, hats, saddles and tack, old west clothing, work wear and home décor.
History
Fort Western is a family-owned, privately held companyPrivately held company
A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the...
, established in 1972 by Carl and Shirley Wohlfarth,
The enterprise began with their children’s love for horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s. When the tack shop the Wohlfarths frequented for years closed, it ignited the idea for them to start their own shop.
The first store opened as a one-room horse tack
Horse tack
Tack is a term used to describe any of the various equipment and accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals. Saddles, stirrups, bridles, halters, reins, bits, harnesses, martingales, and breastplates are all forms of horse tack...
shop on 48th and Old Cheney Rd. in Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
. Carl and Shirley worked part-time in the store while working full time to support the family, Shirley as a nurse and Carl as a lieutenant in the Lincoln Fire Department. As the business grew, they added jeans and boots to their product offering.
In 1987, Fort Western relocated its Lincoln store from 48th and Old Cheney Rd. to the Alamo center at 56th and Hwy 2 where the tack shop grew from a one-room display to the largest in the Midwest. The Lincoln store now occupies over 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²) of retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
space and the product mix has expanded to include western jewelry, outerwear
Outerwear
-List of outerwear:* Jacket* Coat* Mittens* Cloaks* Hats* Poncho* Rain pants* Trousers* Scarves*Gloves...
, belts, suits, home décor, collectibles and even furniture… all reflecting the western lifestyle
Western lifestyle
Western Lifestyle is defined as a social classification of people significantly influenced by the attitudes, ethics and history of the American Western Cowboy Culture. This lifestyle affects this sector of population's choice of recreation, clothing, and consumption of goods....
.
The Lincoln store’s two-story unique floor plan includes an Old West Shop http://www.fortwestern.com/store/home.php?cat=214 with authentic reproductions of 19th-century historic cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
clothing and accessories. The lower level houses other specialized areas including a cowboy shop and workwear department. The store’s large selection of merchandise and unique decor attracts general shoppers as well as western lifestyle
Western lifestyle
Western Lifestyle is defined as a social classification of people significantly influenced by the attitudes, ethics and history of the American Western Cowboy Culture. This lifestyle affects this sector of population's choice of recreation, clothing, and consumption of goods....
enthusiasts. Customers fly in from all over the country to visit the store. Even country music legend Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
has shopped the Fort’s aisles.
Fort Western's “Fort Frontier” brand is attached to shooter and range
boots, commonly used in cowboy action shooting
Cowboy action shooting
Cowboy Action Shooting , also known as Western Action Shooting or Single Action Shooting, is a competitive shooting sport that originated in California, USA, in the early 1980s...
, sold in their Old West Shop. The Fort Western used a similar
process to design one-of-a-kind custom Husker
Husker
Husker may refer to:* A Nebraska resident .* A Nebraska Cornhusker, student of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln; particularly as representing that institution in interscholastic activities ....
boots that were custom
made and signed by Nebraska Husker coaches. The Husker boots were
auctioned off at the 2009 Cattlemen's Ball to raise money for cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
research.
In 1993, Fort Western added a second retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
store in Nebraska City, Nebraska
Nebraska City, Nebraska
Nebraska City is a city in Otoe County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,228 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Otoe County...
. With 16000 square feet (1,486.4 m²), the store is the second largest western-style outfitter in Nebraska. Nebraska City is the headquarters for the Fort Western catalog. The catalog publishes several times throughout the year and is distributed to all 50 states in the US and about 12 international countries.
In 2000, Fort Western took their store online, adding eCommerce to their existing retail and catalog marketing channels.
Today the Fort Western is one of the largest western wear
Western wear
Western wear is a category of men's and women's clothing which derives its unique style from the clothes worn in the 19th-century American West. It ranges from accurate historical reproductions of pioneer, mountain man, Civil War, cowboy and vaquero clothing to the stylized garments popularized by...
outfitter
Outfitter
An outfitter is a shop or person that sells men's clothes . More specifically, it is a company or individual who provides or deals in equipment and supplies for the pursuit of certain activities. The term is most closely associated with outdoor activities such as rafting, hunting, fishing,...
s in the Midwest and continues to grow with plans to expand its retail store locations.