'Collab we didn't know we needed'; Why the internet is buzzing over Tecovas, Chili's 'Booth Boots'

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- If there's one thing Texas businesses know, it's how to build brand loyalty. So, it comes as no surprise when two Texas companies team up and create something that becomes social media's latest, greatest trend.

And if there are two things Austin locals know, they're how to rock a good cowboy boot, and Chili's at 45th Street and North Lamar Boulevard is a local legend on the internet.

Thus, a collaboration between Austin-based cowboy boot and Western apparel retailer, Tecovas, and Dallas-based beloved restaurant chain, Chili's, has taken social media by storm.

The two Texas brands announced in an Instagram post Tuesday that they're releasing a limited-edition, red cowboy boot, dubbed the "Booth Boots." The boots are made from "genuine Chili’s Booths," according to the post.

As of Friday afternoon, the post had more than 23,000 likes and over 1,100 comments, many expressing excitement. One person said, "The collab we didn’t even know we needed?!?!?" with Chili's responding, "we know what you need before you need it."

The 365 Things Austin account also commented on the post, and another user responded, calling the collaboration "a Chili's on 45th & Lamar flex."

The Chili's on 45th and Lamar joke has lived on for more than a decade and is still going strong. Austin's mayor even issued an official proclamation recognizing it last year.

“Our collaboration with Chili’s is a celebration of our Texas roots and shared love for comfort, hospitality, and making people feel welcome,” Sam Fodrowski, Tecovas' Vice President, Brand and Product Marketing, said in a press release.

Jesse Johnson, Chili's Vice President of Marketing, expressed a similar sentiment in the release. "We thought it would be fun to celebrate this familiar piece of the Chili’s experience by turning it into something truly unexpected for our fans. Our new friends at Tecovas have been the perfect partners in bringing this wild idea to life with their handcrafted boots now reimagined with our booth material.”

Tecovas and Chili's Booth Boots, along with a matching Boot Belt, will be available exclusively online starting July 29 at 10 a.m. CT, while supplies last. The boots, which come in men's and women's sizes, retail for $345, and the belt is $75.