Welcoming the Old West Co. to Ellicottville
Welcoming the Old West Co. to Ellicottville
Local Mother-Daughter Duo Celebrate Opening of Western Store in Town
Like its Colorado counterparts, Ellicottville is a ski town with challenging slopes, beautiful resorts, and delicious dining options, but until recently, the village has been missing one particular experience that isn’t hard to find out West: a western store, of course! In the words of co-owner Tammy Bess, “It’s actually going to be what we call a western store with a modern kick: hats, boots, and fashion that are country western fashion forward. We’re really excited!” Join Bess and her daughter and co-owner Ariel Clark on Saturday, May 13 at 11:00am for their grand opening of The Old West Co. at 18 Washington Street.
While for Bess, owning and operating a retail store is a brand-new venture, her daughter, Ariel Clark, has several years of experience, as she also owns Clark’s Market & Deli in Great Valley. “The funny thing was we’d been Christmas shopping in Buffalo and went to a LongHorn Steakhouse to eat,” Bess explained. “We saw the décor and thought it was really cool. My daughter said opening some kind of western store would be a big hit!”
Clark began exploring ideas, including hats, clothing and fashion boots, and the next step was finding the perfect location. Both women believed a store in downtown Ellicottville would be an ideal spot, and when Bess heard that the former location of Chiba Chiba was available, she knew their dream was meant to be. “We first began talking about our business idea this past December, and by the middle of January, we were offered this space,” Bess recalled. “I’m definitely a believer that things happen for a reason!”
With their store location secured, Bess and Clark began looking at similar stores in Aspen, Colorado and other western cities for inspiration. The Old West Co. will feature a hat bar that will allow customers to personalize their own cowboy hat with different bands, feathers, dried flowers, and branding irons to imprint their initials or different symbol brands. “In the coming months, we want to add custom shaping to cowboy hats as well,” Bess added. Their inventory, geared specifically for the modern-day western look, will also include fashion cowboy boots for women, some men’s cowboy boots, and western-style shorts, skirts, dresses and more. “Right now, we’re really more aimed at women’s fashions and will be getting a little bit of jewelry,” Bess explained. “We’ll have belts and wallets for men now and more men’s clothing and boots soon.”
Though not from the western part of the U.S., both Bess and her daughter are proud to call western New York home, as both were born and raised in Great Valley and attended Ellicottville Central School. Being a part of the Ellicottville business community and opening a store that reflects the rural beauty of western New York is the fulfillment of a dream for both, to say nothing of the opportunity to work side by side as mother and daughter.
Whether you’re planning a special outfit to wear to a country concert or a fun trip to Nashville, head to The Old West Co., where you’ll find everything you need to complete your country look! To learn more about The Old West Co., follow them on Facebook and Instagram and be sure to stop by their brand-new store at 18 Washington Street. Store hours are 11:00am-5:00pm seven days a week.