SALINA, Utah — In the town of Salina sits a shop which has stood the test of time, but has recently received a jolt of attention thanks to one of the most popular shows on television.
Burns Cowboy Shop has been family-owned since 1876, meaning six generations have helped run the store since the west was untamed.
"I think that’s why so many people are attached to the cowboy or western lifestyle," said Braydan Shaw, one of the family owners of the shop. "It was a short period in time, but that’s really what it embodies is striking out on your own for you and for your posterity,"
And that western start is how Burns Saddlery came to be.
"We have a great family story and it’s a story of entrepreneurship," said Shaw.
Starting in 1876 with Miles Burns, the business has transformed from blacksmiths, horse-drawn carriages and saddles, to inventing car seat covers and now to the creation of luxury western wear.
"The business has always pivoted. I think that’s one key thing that we’ve learned from our progenitors," said Shaw. "We’ve just been able to keep evolving and moving forward."
Burns Cowboy Shop is now the oldest family-owned Western shop in America, and like those before him who have all brought a unique twist to the company, it's become Shaw's passion.
But hats are just the start of what the store provides, with 105 employees and 60 craftsman building handmade products from custom boots, and saddles, belt buckles, hats.
"Anything that's handmade and got heart and soul into it can can really make that product better," said Matthew Wanner.
A saddle maker by trade, Wanner is now the president of production for Burns Cowboy Shop, whose job is to oversee quality.
"The process we have here, it's all still made by hand," Wanner said. "That's one thing we all care about in this in this room; making sure we're doing high quality the best work we can and the craftsmanship is is constantly moving forward."
Dedication to craft has helped grow their business from tiny shop to now having retail spaces in other states and shipping around the country and world. But it was their Park City location that created an opportunity that no one saw coming.
"They were filming in Park City, walked into our Park City store, the costume designer says 'Hey, we're filming this project, Yellowstone.' I thought it was a documentary," remembered Shaw.
Burns owners didn't know the premise of the new show, but were able to fit the entire cast.
"It’s really rewarding to see your product on the silver screen," said Shaw. "'Hey Matt, build that product' or 'Jose, engrave this buckle.' and it's really cool to see that, and I think our craftsmen really appreciate that as well, and it really uplifts them."
The partnership continues to this day as "Yellowstone" has turned into a runaway sensation. Even after filming moved to Montana, Burns Cowboy Shop is still creating the iconic pieces and sending them to shooting locations.
And as the show's popularity continues to rise, so does the surge in orders.
"We say that Kevin Costner has been our number one salesperson for the last four years," joked Shaw. "We ship 'Yellowstone' hats and belts and buckles all over the world. So it's been great for business and the industry in whole."
Shaw said his team creates pretty much everything viewers see on the show and is available for purchase.
"A hat, for sure, are the most recognizable and iconic pieces on the show. They're the things that are most requested and that we sell the most of," he said. "The belts and the buckles are cool and we sell them. And boots are a little more unique and individual depending on what style you want."
As the show continues its fifth season, Shaw says it's awesome that Burns has a small roll in its success.
"'Yellowstone' has brought a lot of light to the new age western era," said Wanner. "And I do believe that it's helped the saddle industry that had history, boot industry shafts, all that stuff. I think it's really brought to light how cool the western heritage really is."
It’s also solidified a small shop with a big history into everyone's hearts and minds, and lets fans own a little piece of history that is uniquely Utah.
"It's an iconic part of America," said Shaw. "And that's what we keep alive."
