Bourbon & Boots

Bourbon & Boots was an Arkansas-based American company and online Southern-lifestyle brand focused on handcrafted merchandise, artisan-inspired goods, gifts, and lifestyle content. It was founded in February 2012 in Little Rock and built its identity around regional culture, Southern-themed products, and direct-to-consumer online commerce. The business operated from the Little Rock area and later established an expanded headquarters on Main Street in the Argenta Historic District of North Little Rock. The company pursued rapid growth during the middle of the 2010s. In May 2015, early-stage private-equity firm xCelerate Capital acquired the assets of the Bourbon & Boots brand. In August of the same year, the company moved into larger premises near the Arkansas Innovation Hub, with which it partnered on new-product development. The business reported more than $1 million in revenue for December 2015 and projected continued growth into 2016. In February 2016, it acquired Tales from the South, a Southern-lifestyle content-generation and media-distribution company, broadening its activities beyond merchandise into editorial and media content. Bourbon & Boots’ growth was accompanied by customer-service and fulfillment problems. Beginning in 2017, consumers reported paying for products that were not delivered, receiving defective or incorrect items, and experiencing difficulty contacting the company or obtaining refunds. The Better Business Bureau contacted the company about a pattern of complaints in February 2017 and again in May. The company attributed some fulfillment problems to vendors that had underestimated their production capacity and said it was adding management resources and improving customer communications. BBB records indicated that complaints continued into July 2017. The company ultimately became the subject of government enforcement action. On April 2, 2019, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge filed a lawsuit against Bourbon & Boots and owner Rodney Ford under the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The action alleged that consumers had paid for products they did not receive or received the wrong products. The attorney general sought restitution for affected consumers, along with fees, costs, and other relief. The company went out of business in 2019. The original Bourbon & Boots domain was subsequently acquired and repurposed as a rustic-lifestyle blog unrelated to the former company or its owners.

Bourbon & Boots was established in February 2012 in Little Rock, Arkansas, as an online Southern-lifestyle company. Its business model combined direct-to-consumer commerce with a regional brand identity, offering handcrafted merchandise, gifts, and other goods presented as artisan-inspired and connected to Southern culture. The company entered a period of expansion in 2015. In May, xCelerate Capital, described as an early-stage private-equity firm, purchased the assets of the Bourbon & Boots brand. In August, Bourbon & Boots moved into a larger headquarters on Main Street in the Argenta Historic District of North Little Rock. The location was adjacent to the Arkansas Innovation Hub, with which the company partnered on new-product development. The business reported more than $1 million in revenue during December 2015 and described itself as maintaining a strong growth trajectory heading into 2016. In February 2016, Bourbon & Boots acquired Tales from the South, a Southern-lifestyle content-generation and media-distribution company. The transaction expanded the brand’s activities into content and media, complementing its merchandise business with storytelling and audience-development capabilities. Operational difficulties became publicly visible in 2017. The Better Business Bureau reported a pattern of consumer complaints involving orders that were not fulfilled, defective products, incorrect items, communication problems, and refund difficulties. The BBB first contacted the company in February 2017. Bourbon & Boots said that some vendors had underestimated their capacity and could not fulfill all orders generated by the company’s growth. It also said that it had hired a full-time manager for its customer-response team. After further contact from the BBB in May, the company stated that it was responding through online chat and email. BBB records nevertheless indicated that complaints continued in July. The company’s difficulties culminated in legal action. On April 2, 2019, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge filed a lawsuit against Bourbon & Boots and its owner, Rodney Ford, under the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The attorney general alleged that the company’s marketing presented it as a Southern lifestyle business offering artisan-inspired and quality craftsmanship, while customers sometimes did not receive their purchases or received the wrong items. The action sought restitution for affected consumers, as well as attorneys’ fees, costs, and other relief. The attorney general’s office reported receiving 55 complaints, while the BBB had recorded 293 complaints at that point. Bourbon & Boots went out of business in 2019. Afterward, the domain associated with the company was purchased and used for a rustic-lifestyle blog. That later website was not connected to the original business or its owners.

1. 2019Arkansas deceptive-trade-practices lawsuit

   The Arkansas attorney general filed suit against the company and Rodney Ford over alleged nondelivery and misdelivery of products.

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2. 2019Business closes

   Bourbon & Boots ceased operations.

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3. 2016Tales from the South acquired

   Bourbon & Boots purchased Tales from the South, expanding its Southern-lifestyle activities into content generation and media distribution.

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4. 2015Brand assets acquired by xCelerate Capital

   Early-stage private-equity firm xCelerate Capital purchased the assets of the Bourbon & Boots brand in May.

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5. 2015Expansion into Argenta

   The company moved into a larger headquarters on Main Street in the Argenta Historic District of North Little Rock and partnered with the Arkansas Innovation Hub on product development.

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6. 2012Company founded in Little Rock

   Bourbon & Boots was founded in February as an online Southern-lifestyle company offering handcrafted merchandise, gifts, and related goods.

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A direct-to-consumer Southern-lifestyle brand positioned around handcrafted, artisan-inspired merchandise, gifts, regional identity, and lifestyle storytelling.

• Handcrafted merchandiseLifestyle goods

  The company sold handcrafted and artisan-inspired products through its online Southern-lifestyle storefront. Available reference material does not identify a complete catalog or specific product names, but describes the merchandise as quality-oriented goods associated with Southern identity and regional craftsmanship.

• Southern-themed giftsGifts

  Bourbon & Boots offered gifts and other consumer merchandise marketed around Southern culture and lifestyle. The business emphasized online ordering and artisan-inspired presentation, although specific product ranges and designs are not documented in the supplied sources.

• Tales from the SouthMedia and content

  Tales from the South was a Southern-lifestyle content-generation and media-distribution company acquired by Bourbon & Boots in February 2016. The acquisition extended the brand’s scope from merchandise into editorial and media activity.

• 2016Acquisition of Tales from the SouthM&A

  Bourbon & Boots sought to broaden its Southern-lifestyle proposition beyond physical merchandise.

  What changed. The company acquired Tales from the South, a content-generation and media-distribution business.

  Aftermath. The acquisition added media and storytelling capabilities to the brand’s commerce activities.

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• 2015Sale of brand assets to xCelerate CapitalM&A

  The growing Arkansas lifestyle company entered an ownership and investment transaction during its expansion phase.

  What changed. xCelerate Capital purchased the assets of the Bourbon & Boots brand in May 2015.

  Aftermath. The company expanded its headquarters later in 2015 and reported strong December revenue, although subsequent fulfillment and customer-service problems emerged.

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• 2019Arkansas deceptive-trade-practices lawsuitControversy

  Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge sued Bourbon & Boots and Rodney Ford under the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The action sought restitution of $19,991.03 for affected consumers, plus fees, costs, and other relief.

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• 2017Consumer complaints and Better Business Bureau alertControversy

  The BBB documented complaints concerning undelivered, defective, or incorrect products, poor communication, and difficulties obtaining refunds. The company cited vendor capacity problems and promised operational improvements, but complaints continued.

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1. Bourbon & Boots