Cowboy Cosmopolitan Shopping, Wyoming Style By Dina Mishev
I've had some tough writing assignments over the course of my career. Try not to feel too sorry for me, but cruel editors have actually sent me to far-flung places like Istanbul, Hong Kong and Barcelona. And then, once there, these same cruel editors made me shop. My job would be to roam back alleys, main thorofares and everywhere in between in search of the coolest places to get everything from clothes to cookies. It was a tough task, but, ever the professional, I threw myself into it, finding baklava worth flying 13 hours for, a gallery of antique jewelry that had styles from bling to bohemian and a hole-in-the wall design studio with magazine-worthy wares. Even with all of these adventures in distance shopping however, my favorite stores are ones I stumbled upon at home in Wyoming. Yes, shopping in Wyoming; shopping of the kind you won't find anywhere else.
Perhaps it is because cowboys aren't shoppers I have one cowboy-type friend who actually prefers stitching the pieces of his circa-1986 button-down shirt back together after each wash to going into a store to buy a new one – that Wyoming isn't really known for its shopping. Surprisingly, the U.S. Census Bureau doesn't compile a statistic of malls per capita, but if it did, I have no doubt Wyoming would rank dead last; I don't think the state even has enough malls to get into the double-digits. The state is the birthplace of one of the country's largest retail empires (J.C. Penney was founded in Kemmerer in 1902) however and, when you've got someone used to ferreting out a place's shopping secrets as your guide (that'd be me), you can be sure to find plenty of things you never knew you couldn't live without.
Here we go.
Jackson Cowboy Couture
Downtown Jackson Egret Communications
She might rub shoulders with Ralph Lauren, Will Smith, Naomi Campbell and Mariah Carey, but Michelle Julene is a Wyoming girl at heart. Albeit a very free-spirited and fashion-forward one. Julene, a native of Casper, grew up designing clothes but it wasn't until 2003 that things exploded for her. Her laced and beaded denim, fringed leather fur-trimmed jackets and barely-there tops – coveted by celebs from Britney Spears to Robert DeNiro, Sheryl Crow, Mary J. Blige and Travis Tritt won her "Best New Designer" and "Designer of the Year" at Cody's Western Design Conference … not to mention comparisons to the likes of uber-designers Roberto Cavalli and Dolce & Gabbana. In 2004 she won "Best Collection" at the WDC. Not surprisingly, she's become the designer of choice for the cowboy chic set. Bergdorf-Goodman in New York City is crazy about her, but if you want the real Michelle Julene experience, head for her intimate 500-square-foot boutique just a block off Jackson's Town Square. Recently redesigned to reflect the edginess and sensuality of her designs, the shop is what you wish your closet could be: imaginative, colorful and inspiring. Cowboy Couture by Michelle Julene is at 185 W. Broadway; www.michellejulenecouture.com; 307-734-1009.
Cheyenne The Wrangler
Cowboy-style Billboard in front of Cheyenne CVB
Not that you'd want to, but it would be hard to miss The Wrangler in downtown Cheyenne. The three story red-painted brick building dominates a corner of Capitol Avenue by the train tracks. Home to some sort of retail outlet since its erection in 1892, the main building was joined with an adjacent former hotel sometime in the 1960s. (The upper floors of the main building itself were also formerly a hotel.) Together the two buildings give you about 13,000 square feet of ranchwear and Western clothing, hats, boots and accessories to choose from or just marvel at. How about a diamond-studded Stetson? Or Cruel Girl jeans? Carhartts? A leather jacket from Arello? Or maybe all you need is a good, old pair of Wranglers? The sky-lit hat room has a selection of nearly 500 ranging in price from $12.99 to that $1,200 diamond-studded Stetson. The boot department has something for everyone too. You'd think that with all this merchandise the biggest problem here would be making up your mind, but it's not. It's actually finding your way back to all the things you like: with so much space in so many different rooms between two buildings, The Wrangler would serve itself well to lend GPS navigational systems to shoppers. The Wrangler is at 1518 Capitol Ave; 307-634-3048.
Aladdin Aladdin General Store
Aladin General Store Fred Pflughoft
When you need everything including the kitchen sink, there's no better place to go than the Aladdin General Store. The best preserved of Wyoming's five remaining 19th century mercantiles, it's been amassing inventory since 1896. Aladdin General Store has antiques that probably weren't antique when they first came to the store. It also has everything from fishing supplies to clothing, groceries, art, beer and hardware. While the store's stock has probably changed a bit over the last 110 years, not much else has. The interior woodwork, cabinetry and windows are all original. The peeling wallpaper upstairs in "Aladdin's Antique Attic" is original. The roll-top storage bins behind the counter are original... and old scribbled prices on them bear proof of inflation over the years. The Aladdin General Store is in downtown Aladdin; there's no way you can miss it. aladdinwy.com; 307-896-2226.
Meeteetse Meeteetse Chocolatier
Saddle bronc' rider Tim Kellogg was saving for a new saddle a few years ago when his mom recommended he do some fundraising by selling his truffles at a summer art fair in Cody. Tim had learned to make truffles as a kid while hanging out (and licking the beaters and spatulas) in his grandmother's kitchen. As an adult he would give them as gifts to friends during the holidays. Even though the truffles made for very popular gifts, Tim was doubtful anyone would want to buy them. He ended up selling out however. He took the hint and soon after rented himself a space in downtown Meeteetse. He was only open on Saturdays. Two years later, Tim had to rent an even bigger space and open seven days a week, rodeo schedule permitting. His truffles – 30 different flavors including champagne, Irish crème, sage, huckleberry, jalapeno, key lime, cognac, and even Coors (yup, like the beer) – are also available through an online store, meeteetsechocolatier.com, but meeting this cowboy chocolatier in person is what makes his store a true Wyoming shopping experience. Meeteetse Chocolatier, which sells pastries and cakes in addition to truffles, is in the old Meeteetse Mercantile in downtown Meeteetse; 307-868-2567.
A quick lesson in Wyoming's art history reveals that Conrad Schwering, Thomas Moran and Archie Teater, among others, all lived and painted here. Teater came to Jackson Hole in a covered wagon in 1928 and was one of the few Western artists to enjoy fame during his lifetime. Since then, his studio/shop has moved around Jackson's Town Square several times. It's now JC Jewelers, where you can stop by for a look and imagine Teater sitting inside, painting away. read more
Wyoming is Forever West. The very mention of the the word Wyoming evokes the essence of the American West. Wyoming is all that innumerable movies, novels and legends have tried to capture. This Western Spirit thrives to this day in the Cowboy State. read more
