Nokona Baseball Gloves and Fenoglio Boots

I saw some information on Nokona, a company that makes baseball gloves by hand, a few weeks ago and mentioned to Mister that it would be fun to check it out.  The information said that they give tours on Mondays and Fridays so we would need to plan.  My sweet man took that to heart and planned a little birthday weekend adventure to let me peek in on this company and whatever else we can find along the way.

I thought I would share this part of the trip with ya'll since it truly does have to do with sewing and vintage machines.  We stop in Nocona, TX and find the place right away.  We only have a few minutes before the tour starts, allowing us to watch videos and check out the displays to gather more information.


They used to make all kinds of athletic gear and even some shoes, but mostly do the baseball gloves and a few footballs now.  They also contract out with other companies to make various objects.

There is a little shop out front that shows different gloves for sale and they come in ALL sizes.  Check out this small one.

With my hand next to it.

There is a great display showing the various stages of creating the gloves.  Oh how I wish I had been allowed to take pictures while on the tour but the employees got tired of having their faces plastered all over Facebook so they stopped allowing them.  What I can tell you is that is it simply amazing and YOU SHOULD GO!!  These are made with the coolest machines and have been forever.  They are the ONLY gloves still made in the U.S.A. and that is reason enough to support them.

While we were walking through the tour, which allows you to literally sit down and watch someone work and visit with them, I spotted one machine not being used and the lady running the tour was gracious enough to allow me to take a picture of it since it is no longer in use.  How cool is this?  Please make this a definite place to visit and even your spouse's (if one exists) will enjoy it, I promise.  Keep reading -- this is not the end of the post.

During our tour, we meet the local veterinarian who tells us that we need to check out the Fenoglio Boot Co. as well.  He says they do tours too.  Magic words to me and after lunch we head there.  At one time, Nokona made boots as well and you can still buy them, but not in Nocona.  They are owned by Justin Boots now.  However, Fenoglio Boot Co. is in Nocona and making boots by hand the same way they have been done for years.  We stop in and are given the most amazing tour (again no cameras),  We are taken through all the stages of making these boots and I will NEVER again complain at the cost of them.  Oh, the work these people put into just one pair.

As we are leaving town and again under recommendation from Dan Fenoglio, whom we had lunch with and didn't know who he was as he just introduced himself as Dan, we stop at the Tails N Trails Museum and learn even more about the town.  A lot of the original boot items are located here now.

I have to tell you ---- just seeing all the different machines that are used between these two companies --- I am in awe.  They made a sewing machine to do just about anything one needed it to.  I had no idea and am crazy in love with the whole set up.  I want to go back.  Today!!!  Who wants to take a road trip with me?