Giving Great Bend the Boot...And a Lot More: Brittain's Western Wear Delivers Exceptional Customer Service For Over Twenty Years

One day a woman called Brittain’s Western Wear asking about a particular jacket in a particular size. Seems she had looked all over in Wichita and Hutchinson, with no luck.

“When she asked if I knew where she could find a jacket like that, I asked her ‘how many do you want,’” said Bob Brittain, who owns the long-time Great Bend business along with his wife, Velda. “She was calling to see if I could suggest someplace else.”

This is just one of many examples the Brittains could relate about people not realizing how much pride the couple places in quantity and quality.

“We have a lot of people who live here in Great Bend come in and say ‘we didn’t realize you had all this,’” Velda said.

Moving On: Over twenty years ago, Bob and Velda Brittain opened their doors for business in the building that now houses Dollar General on west Tenth Street. “We quickly outgrew our old location,” Velda Brittain says. “After nine years there, we moved to our current location, which much-better suits the needs of our customers.” Brittain’s is located at 200 Patton Road in Great Bend.

The Brittains opened their business doors on July 13, 1979, at 5318 10th, the current location of Dollar General.

“We had planned on finding a business for ourselves,” Velda recalled. “And then this opportunity came along. The first location was a small place but we very quickly got it up to par. We were there nine years.”

The current location, 200 Patton, is the former home of Misco Supply, which built the building at that location in 1982. It was an oilfield-related business.

“When this location became available, we made some changes and moved in,” Velda said. “The odds were against us because of some strong competition. That was a strike against us but the business grew very quickly because we worked hard at it.”

The Brittains still work seven days a week, which is testament to their western wear store being a labor of love. They don’t take vacations and it is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Family Affair: From left to right are Rick Brittain, Velda Brittain, Randy Brittain, and Bob Brittain. “Our kids grew up in the family store,” Velda Brittain says. “Rick used to in after school to help when he was nine years old to shape hats, and customers really got a kick out of it.” The Brittain family has owned and operated Brittain’s Western Wear in Great Bend for over twenty years. “We don’t really take vacations, and we stay open late,” Velda added. “We’ve spent our lives here building a business that our customers can depend on.”

It used to be open an hour longer each day, but the new hours are the Brittains version of cutting back a little. Their sons are the only other employees; Rick is full-time and Randy can offer only part-time help because of his job with the state of Kansas.

Prior to starting Brittain’s Western Wear, Velda worked at Central Kansas Medical Center and Bob was employed by Bankers Dispatch. They also had a dairy and bucket-fed calves, and Velda was attending Barton County Community College.

They decided it was time for a change.

“We are independent people and have worked extremely hard,” Velda said about the reasons for their success. “We wanted something where we could be our own boss. And this was appealing because we were raised in the country and knew farmers and ranchers and what they needed.

Custom Caps: Brittain’s Western Wear sells hats of all shapes, colors, and sizes. Owner Velda Brittain says, “There are no such things as hat seasons. However, we sell a lot more straw hats in the summer, and a lot more felt hats in the winter. Since straw hats are a lot cooler and more light-weight than the felt hats, it just makes sense.” Not only does Brittain’s offer a fantastic selection of hats, they also offer quality custom fitting, unlike any other business in the area. “I’ve been custom-fitting hats as long as I can remember,” Rick Brittain says. “It’s just a part of me.”

“We knew what we were doing because we had always worn jeans and boots,” she continued. “I felt like we could benefit from this knowledge and so could the customers. An average Joe Blow couldn’t make it; you need this expertise to understand what the customer wants.”

Nevertheless, their customer base includes men and women in all types of occupations, including the oilfield and construction. And they don’t forget children; any child could be outfitted at Brittain’s.

In addition to their complete lines of jeans, boots, work clothes and leisure wear, the Brittains carry gloves, belts, wallets, buckles, dress shirts, sport coats, collectible gift items and, of course, a lot of hats.

“We have many straw and beaver hats,” Velda said. “And we offer custom shaping for the hat; nobody else around here does that. Rick does the shaping for each individual.”

They pay the same close attention to boot fit.

Bob’s Boots: Bob Brittain stands amidst a few of the boots available at Brittain’s Western Wear. “We have all the name brand boots in lots of styles and colors,” Brittain says. “We carry boots that you’d wear every day and boots for special occasions.” Brittain’s also carries a wide variety of belts and belt buckles, blue jeans, coats, wallets, and gift items.

“We give them personal attention,” Velda said. “We fit them. You don’t just buy a boot off the shelf without this kind of service. Personal service – that was our commitment when we opened and it is the same today. We know we can’t please everyone but we try.”

In addition to their local and area customers, the Brittains cater to many travelers from around the state, country, and yes, the world.

“We are centrally located on the highway and we get them from west, south, east and north,” Velda said. “We also get them from Japan, Russia and Poland when the ag people bring them in to learn about agriculture here. We get a lot from overseas.

Gifts Galore: With everything from belts and belt buckles to hats and wallets, Brittain’s carries great gift items for everyone. “We carry the highest quality collectible figurines around,” Velda Brittain says. “You won’t find anything like this anywhere else in Great Bend, and they’re affordable too.” In addition, Brittain’s has an entire collection of fragrances for men and women, along with every color of shoe polish in the spectrum. “We pride ourselves on having something for everyone.”

“We couldn’t be located downtown,” Velda added. “It just wouldn’t work for us.”

Another reason for the business’s success, the Brittains said, is they invest their earnings back into the store. “That is how we have grown,” Velda said. “Every penny goes back into the business. And if you treat people right, and fit them to the boots and clothes, give them what they want, they’ll come back.”


For more information, contact:

Brittain's Western Wear
200 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-792-5404