Meet Chris Thompson | Boot Purse Maker and Furniture Wrangler

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chris Thompson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chris, why did you pursue a creative career?
I remember drawing in elementary school with my small pack of Crayola’s, always wishing I had the huge box with the sharpener in it. I felt limited by the choices I had in my own box, compared to the colors floating around in my imagination. In high school I entered a trade school and even though I never did much with my hair, thought Cosmetology would be fun. And oh boy, was it! Colors and designs just flowed so easily! I eventually tried my hand at accounting and office management and enjoyed starting up offices for small companies but as soon as they were running smoothly I found myself bored without being creative, even in an office. I married and decided to be a stay at home mom… which lasted exactly 3 days before I was piddling around in the shed looking for raw materials to make something. Anything. This eventually lead to having several small boutiques and co-ops and of course “doing” hair off and on throughout my life. Now in my vintage years I could never imagine doing anything that wasn’t creative. I handcraft handbags from reclaimed cowboy boots and “cowgirl-up” rescue furniture.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have always been creative so when I fell in love with cowboy boots and fell out of the job that I discovered them in, I was a manager of a western outfitter and every Aug we would run a promotion to “bring in your stinky boots for $20 off a new pair”. At the end of that month I had a pile of used cowboy boots. I took them home and threw them in the back of the garage, to “do something with later.” Once I lost the job there I had to be really creative since I still had children at home to feed. After a little thought I remembered that pile of boots in the garage. I could make birdhouses out of them as I once had. So I started cleaning up the boots and found some of them just too pretty to make a birdhouse out of. I began to make one-of-a-kind leather handbags, totes and purses and have made and sold thousands in the past 10 years. I have spent the last 6 years selling them at fine art shows in the southwest and Rocky Mtn region. Lots of ladies make purses out of cowboy boots… But nobody comes out with several new styles and sizes a year. I have been called “the Lois Vuitton of cowboy boot purses” which just tickles my soul! Others say I dream in cowboy boots. True enough!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Wickenburg is such an amazing little western town outside of Phoenix. We don’t have big city amenities but we have big heart and overflow with creative souls. I would and did take my visiting girlfriend on a tour of our local boutiques and gift shops, and saddled up to an antique bar in town to quench our thirst. A rodeo is the best way to spend your days here, we are the Team Roping capital and our winter season is full of horse trailers on the road and the sound of spurs on restaurant floors.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When I secured the location of my store it was an amazing location but too large for just me. So, I opened up the extra space to other artist’s and western collectors. I am so blessed to have Jean Bowser, Gracie Young, Lou Mallory and Mia Merendino join me in this adventure~

Website: www.shopdirtroad.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DirtRoadArtCollective

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dirt-road-art-and-collective-wickenburg

Other: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g31405-d24041621-Reviews-Dirt_Road_Art_Collective-Wickenburg_Arizona.html