Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Ryan McGill
Kendra Burg is a fixer.
Whether she’s solving a customer’s problem, repairing a beloved pair of boots, or managing the daily demands of small business ownership, she shows up ready to get things done as the owner of Handley’s Western Wear in Jasper.
That mindset took root early. Growing up in Walker County, Kendra learned what it meant to work hard and serve others by watching her parents.
“My family are worker bees,” she says. “My mom and dad worked for everything they had, even in high school. They chose jobs that allowed them to prioritize their family while still earning an income, and I wanted to be the same way.”
Her childhood was active and community-centered, with trips to local rodeos, dirt bike rides, and ballgames. She was always on the go, attending local events like the Foothills Festival or playing sports alongside friends. That rhythm of movement and community stuck with her and led naturally into officiating basketball and softball well into her twenties.
As such, her early ambitions had little to do with retail. After graduating from Curry High School in 2009, Kendra headed to the University of Alabama to study telecommunications and film, aiming for a career as a sideline reporter.
“But while I was in school, the perception of the media started shifting,” she says. “I still loved the work, but I wasn’t excited about joining an industry that was becoming so polarizing.”
That uncertainty coincided with a life change. Her high school sweetheart—now husband—Trey joined the Air Force and was stationed in North Carolina. Kendra left UA before her senior year and moved with him, planning to finish her degree online. But when she started working retail, something clicked.
“I applied at every store in the local mall. Hibbett called me, and I was managing the store within six months.”
That retail spark only grew. When she and Trey returned to Alabama, Kendra transferred to another Hibbett location and soon moved into a corporate role at the company’s Birmingham headquarters. As a customer relations specialist, she worked with over 1,200 stores, handling customer complaints and finding solutions.
“It wasn’t glamorous, but I loved helping people fix problems,” she says. “That’s where I started to realize that being a fixer was my thing.”
Even so, the pace of corporate life began to wear on her. The pandemic offered her space to reflect, and Kendra started to crave something more grounded and closer to home.
“Little Kendra always dreamed of a corporate job with catered lunches and office perks,” she laughs. “But after a while, especially after COVID, I realized how good it is just to be home.”
Around that time, a family friend, Nevada Frye, was opening The Plantique in Jasper and needed someone to help run it. Kendra stepped into the role, eager to reconnect with her hometown in a meaningful way.
“That job was fulfilling, it truly felt like therapy,” she says. “There’s a real family dynamic in small business. It opened my eyes to the kind of work-life balance that was actually possible here at home.”
It wasn’t long before another opportunity presented itself, this time even closer to the heart. After a stint managing The Plantique, Kendra rejoined the family business at Handley’s Western Wear. Her mother, Debbie, had worked at Handley’s in the 1980s and bought the store in 1997. Kendra had practically grown up behind the counter.
In 2022, Debbie, who had been living with a brain tumor diagnosis for years, told Kendra she was ready to retire.
“She said, ‘I’m tired. I want to spend time with my family and my garden.’ Her offer was for me to take the reins if I wanted them,” Kendra says. “I never saw it coming, but it’s been the most fulfilling decision of my adult life.”
These days, Kendra’s role is anything but static. She balances bookkeeping with boot fittings, fields customer needs, and coordinates Handley’s 30-foot mobile trailer that delivers products and services directly to regional coal mines and job sites.
“We’re on the road at least a couple of days a week,” she says. “We’re also involved in local events like charity rides, motorcycle clubs, and Boots and Saddle Club stuff. It’s always something.”
Her husband, Trey, now operates the mobile side of the business.
“Some couples couldn’t work together, but it’s been amazing for us. Our mental health and family life have never been better.”
Their kids, JC and Murphy Jean, are often at the store too, soaking in everyday lessons from behind the counter.
“They’ve learned how to treat people just by being here. Greeting people and holding doors open, that’s stuff you can’t teach in school.”
At home, the family recently settled into a house with nine acres of land, where they enjoy riding dirt bikes and spending evenings on the porch. Kendra finds it to be a peaceful contrast to the pace of business, though both bring her joy.
Looking ahead, she hopes Handley’s stays true to its roots.
“I want to keep it local and traditional,” she says. “So many small businesses have dried up, but Handley’s has been here for 43 years. The faces may change, but the old-school techniques are staying.”
And to the younger version of herself, the Curry High grad with big dreams and a head full of plans, Kendra would say, “You’re gonna do the thing. Every day, there’s a small victory. You’re living in the dreams of the little girl you used to be. Just look for the glimmers, they’ll keep you going.” WL
