Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Courtney Pittman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Courtney, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?
In 2015 I moved from Austin to San Francisco and started getting homesick. I missed Texas so much – specifically the hill country and West Texas. From the music to the smokey smells – Texas was on my mind constantly. It’s funny – I didn’t really appreciate my home state until I left. I decided to start an online business selling prints of photos I had taken out in Marfa and Terlingua to cure my homesickness. I came up with the name Western Darlin and the IG handle was available – done and done! Eventually I moved back to Austin and the online shop grew into custom tees and hats that my husband and I designed. Flash forward to 2021 – we bought a 125 year old farmhouse in a small town (Taylor, TX) 30 miles east of Austin. A storefront was available downtown and I decided to go for it and bring WD to life. It is now a natural wine bar with chicken feed, home goods, and our custom tees and hats. It’s become such a fun spot for locals and I’ve loved learning about the natural wine scene.
Courtney, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am currently slingin’ natural wine behind the bar at Western Darlin and absolutely loving it! I got into this industry because there wasn’t really a natty wine scene in Taylor and my friends and I selfishly wanted a place to go. It has been so fun to learn all the things and meet so many new folks along the way. My biggest thing was to make sure the bar didn’t feel pretentious – and I think we’ve achieved that. I mean – where else can you buy chicken feed and natty wine at the same time? I am proud that I have been able to stay open for three years – owning a small brick and mortar biz is not for the faint of heart. This year we plan to rebrand and hit refresh on our online shop and really get that going again with a huge new drop. I am super stoked to get creative with new designs and direction.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
My online shop was killing it – I had so many new designs pumping out and being brought to life. When I opened the bar I had to pivot and really focus on the wine and making rent each month. Before I knew it all of my money was going to buying more wine and paying rent. The online shop and design side of things had to take a backseat. I am excited and very ready to pivot again and really focus on a whole new brand redesign and new products online. We are actually about to wipe our website of all products as we gear up for a big drop this summer. Stay tuned!
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I truly think keeping it authentic has helped build my reputation. I was born and raised in Texas – so it’s in my blood – but I’m also not a “cowgirl” – I’m more of an urban cowgirl. I like dive bars, classic rock and country, wide open spaces and country roads – but also the city. I don’t try to be a poser or something that I’m not. And I think that plays out in my content and products. Another example is chicken feed – It’s the only feed I sell because I actually have chickens and know a ton about them. I didn’t want to sell feed if it didn’t actually make sense in my life. If you follow our instagram you will notice that my photoshoots always have a subtle sense of “sexy tease” to them. I like to push the line on that a little bit – but never too far (which is also authentic to myself). I like to think every woman can relate to wanting to feel sexy and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. It should be celebrated and I try to bring that to life in my photos – that is a true “western darlin” in my opinion.
Contact Info:
- Website: westerndarlin.co
- Instagram: @westerndarlin
Image Credits
Courtney Pittman