Ten years ago I was in western Montana, chasing down interviews for magazine articles. My subject for that day had stood me up at the last minute. It was a long way from Great Falls to Boise, Idaho, and an hour south of Butte, I started getting sleepy. I saw a sign for Dillon, Montana, coming up and I pulled off at the exit to get a cup of coffee. As I drove down the street looking for a café, I found something better. I noticed an attractive western-style building in back of a life-size bronze statue of a cowboy. A sign on the front of the building said, “Schwarz’s Boot Shop.” I know a story when I see one and I headed in with my camera case.
Well, I was right. Dan and Julia Schwarz had a good story to tell and we had a great visit. Now, I want to tell you about what’s happened with their boot business in the decade or
