Boot Barn Scales Distribution Operations With Hai Robotics to Power Nationwide Retail Growth
When Boot Barn, the world’s largest retailer of Western wear, set out to improve its distribution efficiency, the company knew that simply expanding warehouse space would not be enough. With strong revenue growth and a rapidly expanding network of more than 400 stores, the cowboy boot and hat retailer turned to advanced goods-to-person automation to support store replenishment and deliver a seamless omnichannel customer experience.
Working closely with Industrial Procurement Services (IndPro) and SSI SCHAEFER, Boot Barn focused on optimizing order picking and fulfillment operations at a new 450,000-square-foot facility in Kansas City, Missouri. As part of the Boot Barn Kansas City distribution strategy, the goal was clear. “In designing the system, our goal was to reduce labor requirements and increase throughput,” said Mark Juelich, President of IndPro. This approach led to the integration of the HaiPick Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS).
The impact was immediate and significant. Boot Barn’s HaiPick system features 34-foot-high, lights-out storage, effectively doubling storage density compared with the company’s California-based distribution center. With a throughput rate of 460 totes per hour and 100% picking accuracy, the system has become a core component of operations at the Boot Barn Kansas City facility. “This system brings reliability to Boot Barn’s distribution network, ensuring a better and more consistent customer experience,” said Brian Reinhart, Chief Revenue Officer at Hai Robotics USA.
Flexibility has been one of the most valuable advantages of the HaiPick system. Its ability to adapt quickly has played a critical role in supporting Boot Barn’s aggressive growth plans. Reinhart noted, “Over the past year, we’ve gone through three different expansions with Boot Barn to support their rapid growth. The ability to expand like that on the fly is really unique to Hai.”
Today, the Kansas City distribution center ships half a million units each week while reducing labor requirements by 50%. The customized HaiPick system design ensures that every order passes through only a single human touchpoint. This streamlined workflow has delivered a 250% increase in efficiency compared with traditional wire-guided order-picking methods.
The success of the project reflects the close collaboration between Boot Barn, Hai Robotics, and system integration partners IndPro and SSI SCHAEFER. As Reinhart explained, “What really made the project a success was that all three companies worked together with Boot Barn’s best interests in mind.”
