Cry Baby Ranch in Denver, Colorado isn’t just a shopping venue, it is an ethereal experience that will make your senses come alive…  Whether it is strolling through the vibrant space on foot, or touring the hot inventory via the World Wide Web ~ it is one place that I can always go for BIG inspiration and a serious lift me up.  I recently had the opportunity to visit with the owner of Cry Baby Ranch, Roxanne Thurman.  We had a great time comparing notes as merchants, and I loved learning more about the history of Cry Baby Ranch.  So here’s the poop…

Cry Baby Ranch first opened its doors in 1989.  I was surprised to learn that when Cry Baby started it was as a temporary store for the holiday season that was only going to last for six weeks.  At the time Roxanne was doing collectible shows and had worked on a window display using the 1950’s cowboy kitsch that was her specialty… someone took notice of the spirited window and the next thing she new Roxanne was setting up a small store.  Little did she know that twenty years, and four locations later, Cry Baby Ranch would be an important fixture both in downtown Denver, as well as in the entire Western store industry.

 

Like many retailers that you talk to, Cry Baby Ranch did not start off with a great vision. Instead it has evolved into it’s own unique setting offering clothes, boots, jewelry, gifts and home decor ~ all with a blast of color, a BIG sense of humor, and a definitive nod toward the Wild West.  In the beginning Cry Baby was a collectibles store that leaned towards vintage western merchandise. 

Roxanne soon realized that she was either going to have to start charging admission to the museum, or else have things that people could buy.  This is a learning curve that many retailers have had to navigate ~ finding and evolving the mix between having a store that “looks great” and “has great stuff

For Roxanne adding wearables made a huge difference for her product mix.  She started carrying clothes and jewelry one bit at a time… one style of boots, then a small women’s section, then a small men’s section.  After all of these incarnations Cry Baby has become a small boutique store that has all of the right categories and combinations of merchandise to make even the most discriminating shoppers flop on a BIG, Happy SMILE. 

 Roxanne’s advice to other retailers:  “don’t look back, you can’t do anything about it anyway. The product mix evolves the way it’s supposed to and sometimes you don’t know what will work till you try it.”

 

The industry of ’WESTERN’ stores is growing by leaps and bounds, each retailer offering their own spin on what ‘COWBOY’ is to them.  Of the many stores I’ve been through over the years Cry Baby Ranch offers a different vibe to the marketplace.  I asked Roxane how the Cry Baby Ranch formula is different… her answer, “there is no formula”.  Furthermore, she has never considered Cry Baby a “true” western store ~ it’s more like the “COSMIC COWGIRL”.  She’s not all Wranglers and bling belts {not that there is anything wrong with that!!}, she just offers a different spin on Western ~ one that works perfectly for the urban feel of downtown Denver, and the many tourists that visit Larimer Square where she is located.

Roxanne relates her affectionate lean toward cowboys & cowgirls to her Western Heritage.  She grew up in Littlefield, Texas {also the hometown of Waylon Jennings} during the 50’s and 60’s, and the era of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.  Thus her whimsical perspective of the Western lifestyle…  those characters were part of Roxanne’s everyday life and completely impact both her personal style and are also the roots of Cry Baby Ranch.

In the end Roxanne isn’t buying for a formula at all, she buys what appeals to her.  You might find a group of funny little cups with Chinese images on them, a vintage inspired pearl snap shirt, or a serape~covered chair.  Cry Baby Ranch also carries many small artisans, some which Roxane has carried for years that have developed their own following.  She is drawn to things that are a little different & surprising… quirky, not symmetrical, and always off the beaten path…  but in the end it all goes back to the whimsy and familiarity of the 50’s Western era.

The lesson: “Don’t get disillusioned or sidetracked by trying to compete, but instead follow your gut.  We’re all different with different tastes.  Never compare your store to somebody else’s but remain open and objective to other people’s taste…  pay attention and you can learn something every day.”

 

 

Another key to creating a retail store that stands the test of time… developing partnerships.  This is a nod to the partnerships of trust that a merchant has with their customers, a store owner has with employees, and also the one thing every retailer needs… a partner in CREATIVITY.  I understand this need because I have a great creative partner in my life, my mother~in~law, Connie.  When I’m having an off day she knows it and can turn something just right so I don’t have to move a muscle.  The same goes for her off days ~ and together we can merchandise an entire 2000 sq foot store in 8 hours flat.  Easy peasy.

But I’ve digressed… Roxanne is adamant about owing much of her success to her great friend and partner in creativity, Sydney, who is responsible for most of the visual you see in Cry Baby Ranch.  According to Roxanne no dollars are more important than those she spends with Sydney. 

When the space that Cry Baby Ranch currently occupies became available Sydney sat in the front of the store with a color chart and chose 4 colors in each spectrum to paint the walls.  Then Roxanne and Sydney worked together pulling color from the stunning stain glass ceiling.  Once they picked the colors they loved they got BOLD and kicked them all up a notch.  The result is walls painted hues of chartreuse, turquoise and neon red.  Only a true creative partner could know your heart so well that she would agree that sunflower yellow is a good decision.  And it was, by the way, a stellar decision!!

Once they got all of the colors on the wall people walk into the store and feel happy.  There are fun quotes all over the walls, and the space is a direct reflection on Cry Baby Ranch’s view of life ~ happy, bright and playful.

Learning moment: “When it comes to a retail store you have to be able to have a partner, you can’t do everything because you always need a fresh approach and twist on something.”

 So are you dying to go to Cry Baby Ranch??  Have to see for yourself??  Well, in addition to their solid place on the Internet, Cry Baby Ranch’s physical location is in Denver, Colorado on Larimer Square, which is in the heart of downtown.  Surrounded with beautiful restaurants, unique shops and a great destination for Denver locals, Cry Baby Ranch is also close to the Pepsi Center, a premiere green convention facility that is attracting many businesses and organizations across the country, including  the Democratic National Convention held last year.

Cry Baby Ranch has Trunk Shows in September, October, December, January, and May.  Roxanne feels like these are the best way to stay connected to her customers, she even personalizes many of the invitations herself knowing that it’s a large commitment but well worth the effort for her clients.  In the 90’s she went on the road, doing events like Cheyenne Frontier Days and National Finals Rodeo in Vegas, but the store always suffered so now she stays in Denver and continues to reach out to other parts of the country through her website. 

Last Words: “You can’t whine, when the going gets tough then the tough keep going.  Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.  You’re going to make mistakes but you just have to keep trying.”   Doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, truer words can’t be spoken…

So… what are you waiting for??  That’s THE END.  Now get your booty over to the website… you’ve got some shopping to do!!

Thank you, Roxanne!!!  I feel lucky to know you and look forward to many more talks… xo,fancy

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Carley Seale from the Gypsy Wagon

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Posted on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 5:13 pm under Love It!!, Stores and . Comment RSS 2.0 feed. Comments/Pings Closed.