Ever since I was a little girl, I remember driving through Mooresville, NC and looking for the building with the horse on top! This building is my favorite of many small businesses in our area: Nelson Royal’s Western Store in Mooresville, North Carolina. Nelson Royal’s was founded in Mooresville in 1967 as a western wear and saddlery company by a former Heavyweight wrestler in the NWA, Mid-South, and WCW leagues.
As a horseback rider and southern girl who enjoys Western style clothing and accessories, I love shopping at Nelson Royal’s. My favorite thing to shop for are cowgirl boots, and Nelson Royal’s offers some of the most beautifully made and best quality boots I have ever seen. Many of their styles are intricately stitched and beaded, decked out in rhinestones, or handmade or hand painted. I do not own a horse, although I would love to, but I also enjoy admiring the beautifully carved saddles and bridles at Nelson Royal’s.
Most people that I know shop at the store because of the quality and craftsmanship of its products, the great prices and value, and the friendly atmosphere. Unfortunately, in today’s modern atmosphere, less people are becoming interested in riding, owning horses, or competing in rodeos. Western wear and horse supplies are becoming a niche market because of a lesser demand for these products, and as the area in which Nelson Royal’s is located is becoming more urban, this demand may cease altogether in the future. Although Nelson Royal’s has a website and is fully compliant with most modern payment methods, the store also faces becoming outdated.
They recently opened their online marketplace and do not feature their full inventory, and they also only serve this area, which puts them behind many other big-brand online western wear and tack companies like Stateline Tack and Back in the Saddle, which have been operating online for years. Small western stores like Nelson Royal’s are also at the risk of being driven out of business by bigger chain companies like Southern States and Tractor Supply, which have locations across the country, making them more accessible.
Bigger stores like these also offer less expensive clothing and tack, making their prices more competitive. Nelson Royal’s will always be my favorite place to buy cowgirl boots. The staff are always so friendly, and the boots are great quality and last for an incredibly long time. Although Nelson Royal’s faces challenges in today’s market as a small business selling Western wear, I believe that their reputation as a company and their commitment to quality will keep them in business for years to come!