Punchy's Boutique Packs A Punch In The Western Fashion Industry

Punchy’s is a boutique unlike any other. It has staple pieces from the western world mixed with boutique flair and crossover items that all come together to create one of the most versatile and trendy inventories I’ve ever seen.

The owner, Jennifer, is one of the sweetest and most hardworking women I know. She brings style, flair, and originality that really packs a “PUNCH!” I always love it when the creator themselves is willing to tell their own story, so here’s the beauty herself!

“Established in August 2014, the early days were spent traveling and learning what the retail world was all about, and that doesn’t just mean selling a product. I had purchased a pre-existing company and just three weeks later, we hit the road to Warrenton, Texas, for Antiques Week. Did I mention I didn’t even know how to haul a trailer much less what I planned to do with the 20×40 tent we rented? Thank goodness for my friends, who I consider family, that were willing to jump in and help me make our first roadshow a success.

“In August 2015, we opened our first storefront in my hometown of Hamilton, Texas. If you grew up in a small town in Texas, than I can guarantee you’re familiar with the next statement we get nine times out of ten, “Hamilton? Where in the world is that?” Next comes the big city name dropping until you have established a general location for them. Now would you believe that for the entire first year of owning this business I swore that I never wanted a storefront because I didn’t want to be tied down to the strict hours. So why the storefront? Why in Hamilton?

“If you’re in the rodeo world, then you might know about the Circle T Arena. This is a place I have called home for many years. I worked there during my college days at Texas A&M University. A few of my girlfriends and I would make the 2.5 hour drive to work those crazy and insane hours because in college you’re poor and can run on zero sleep. In May of 2009, I took the position of Steakhouse & Catering GM at the arena and worked my way up to handling marketing. In August 2015, I was given the opportunity to rent their building and give PUNCHY’S a home. The rest is history.

“In March of 2016, I had finally gotten my groove down with our store at the arena. It was such a treat to see all of our customers I had known for so long. Going into summer, my goal was to define and establish exactly what PUNCHY’S is. I reached out to a local Texas artisan, Allie Falcon [also a former blogger for COWGIRL], to start working on a visual brand. One of the most challenging things for my creative mind was to communicate with her exactly what I wanted. Well, she’s a rock star who was able to decipher my crazy ideas and create the masterpiece below.

“When I started working with Allie, I decided first and foremost I wanted all customers to feel welcomed and invited. It was crucial to me that we offered clothing that fit real bodies. From a personal standpoint, this has been a frustrating problem my entire life. In the beginning, I focused on standard and extended sizing. That was until one of the models made the comment, “do you know what it is like to be 24 and have to shop in the junior section?” I personally skipped that sizing in my younger years so I absolutely did not. However, I could relate to her struggle. From that point forward, I have carried all sizes that are available to us.

“Developing a style that you can stay true to, even through all the trends, definitely took time. I chose to really focus on carrying a style of western culture, tempered with modern flair. Over time we have coined that phrase as crossover styles. I love them! I want customers to feel their best, as well as educate them on how to dress their bodies. Growing up, my mama and I didn’t see eye to eye on this whole what to wear thing, however, as I have gotten older, I have discovered that we like the same pieces.

“In September 2016, we were given the opportunity to be part of THE SHOW in Stephenville, Texas. I have always envisioned participating in a fashion show with the runway song being Vegas by Faith Hill. Well, that’s exactly what happened! My entire team, along with my parents and friends came out to celebrate. Together, we enjoyed a great evening socializing and raising money for rodeo heritage.

“Truth be told, a second storefront was never on my radar for this brand. One of my team members just kind of threw it out there one day and it stuck. I started really thinking about the future of PUNCHY’S and how we could serve our customers better. It was a challenge for them to get out to the arena when they weren’t attending one of the events. Road shows were becoming harder for us to make due to being busy at the arena on the weekend.

“We found a building and opened up our second location on April 8, 2017, which was one week after we returned from our roadshow in Warrenton. Yes, I had lost my mind! We all worked crazy hours, consumed lots of caffeine, and created our vision. Stephenville has been such a welcoming community, and we are excited to be able to offer wide selections of styles.

“It sure doesn’t seem like it’s been three years already, but they say time flies when you’re having fun. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity and truly love what I do. If you’re in the area, then please stop by and see us in Hamilton or Stephenville, Texas. If you can’t make the trip, no worries! Check us out 24/7 at punchys.com.“