Rick Walker’s Boston – Unexpected cowboy style on Newbury

As a transplanted Texan, I know my Western wear, so I was skeptical the first time I descended the stairs from Newbury Street to enter Rick Walker's. After all, Newbury Street is Boston's poshest shopping street and a default runway, populated by brunch-goers carrying shopping bags and tiny, beautifully groomed dogs. In this setting, Rick Walker's is like a portal into another world.

For one thing, a rooster named Henry overlooked the shop from his cage by the cash register. For another, there is a surprisingly good selection of second-hand boots for men and women, ranging in style from utilitarian to ornate, most priced in the $ 150 range (which is what they'd cost in Texas), a bit more for ones in lizard, ostrich, and other fancy hides. They stock major brands, such as Tony Lamas and Justins, and handmade styles.

They also have a reasonable selection of Western shirts (it's one of my go-to sources for these in town); vintage Levis and Wranglers; and new and secondhand belts and cowboy hats, plus a smaller collection of women's vintage. Personally, I'd stop in just for the soundtrack - Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris doing "A Song for You" is a typical selection.