People drive for hundreds of miles just to shop at High Call Outfitters in Great Bend. So, if you’re local and you haven’t stopped in, you’re missing out. 

Julie Miller said her slogan for the store is, “They’ve Got it All at High Call.”

Miller wants people to know that the store, located at 4100 10th St., is not a “cowboy store.”

“We do have ropes and tack for your horse but we’ve got everything else too,” Miller said. The store’s fashionable selection of clothing and accessories surprises many people. 

“We’re very diverse with our products. We deal with the farm and ranch community, as well as local people that have office jobs.

“You can walk in and buy a pair of jeans that you can wear with a pair of boots or with your favorite dress shoes,” Miller said. On the other hand, High Call Outfitters is the perfect place to find a dress for a special occasion or to rent a tuxedo.

“This time of year, we’re dressing people to go out to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas,” she said. The annual event has become the Mecca for Western fashion, although even at the NFR, not all of the clothing is cowgirl or cowboy oriented. “You can wear anything to those events.”

This is also the time of year for holiday shopping, and the store offers week-long “Steals and Deals.”

Fall/winter fashions

For women, the fall/winter selections include everything from sweaters to dresses for the office or for fancy occasions. 

For men, denim is perfect for office casual or for a sharp-dressed look, Miller said. 

“We’ve got a ton of different fits from some of our core brands. There again, on the guys side, we have sweaters ,we have sharp long-sleeve wovens that work for whether you’re headed to the rodeo that night to compete or just to watch, or if you’re headed into the bank or to work in the office that day. They all work for that.”

Unique to Great Bend

Julie Miller started High Call Outfitters with the thought that she could provide something that the area needed.

Originally, the business was called Tiramisu and the focus was on women’s apparel and accessories. As the business grew to include more items for men, a new name was needed to reflect that.

The name High Call Outfitters refers back to the rodeo tradition. In rodeo, if you come to the final round sitting in first place, that’s known as the “high call” spot. “As a team roper, to be the high call means you’re the top dog, so ‘High Call’ just kind of struck with me,” Miller said.

“We curate the best quality and look for the best investment that you can make on product that’s lasting, durable and holds up to whatever activity you might be putting it through. And we bring in product that makes a statement when you enter the room. If someone sees you on the street they’re going to say, ‘Oh, that’s, an Ivy Jane top’ or another brand that we carry.”

Miller encourages shoppers to come into the store and experience all of the great products for themselves.

“There are customers who go to the NFR Cowboy Christmas, and a lot of times they’ll come back and tell us about their big adventure and they’ll say, ‘Through all of that shopping, you still have the best selection.’ I have friends that we’ve met over the years who still travel through the area and they will stop at High Call Outfitters; I have friends that drive four to five hours to come shop here because they know they’re getting great product and we offer great selection. We hear comments from people coming from Texas or Oklahoma who are passing through and say, ‘We don’t have stores like this down there.’”

In addition to the selection at High Call Outfitters, Miller said she is proud of the customer service her staff provides. “Over half of the guests that enter our front doors, we know by their first names.” They are, however, looking to meet new guests and the store also has an opening for another full-time employee.

Customers can shop at the Great Bend store at 4100 Tenth St. or at the website, highcalloutfitters.com. Find High Call Outfitters on Instagram and Facebook.

Business Insight is a regular feature of the Great Bend Tribune, showcasing locally owned businesses and encouraging folks to shop local as we near the Christmas holidays. Contact news@gbtribune.com for more information.