The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word CHEMISTS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
C
H
E
M
I
S
T
S
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Boots, perhaps/Boots, perhaps" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case boots, perhaps/boots, perhaps = chemists.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does CHEMISTS mean?
CHEMISTS noun- A person who specializes in the science of chemistry, especially at a professional level.
- A pharmacist.
- A pharmacy.
- An alchemist.