Opened in 2022, Brazos Brim Hat Bar brings a plethora of options when it comes to accessorizing your outfit with the perfect customized hat. With options for men, women and children, the possibilities are endless with a number of hat styles to choose from including western, western fashion, fashion, trucker and fedoras, among others. Guests can come to the store to try on different styles and then choose the one that best suits their noggin before choosing from a number of customization additions like bands, feathers, playing cards and, of course, rhinestones. “There is nothing like this in Bryan/College Station — we offer a truly customized experience, where you can choose from different materials for bands, have your hat distressed and branded,” owner Kym Schultz says. “We have the most fun when a customer has a theme they want or some inspiration ideas. It's as much fun for us as it is for our customers, to see their ideas become a unique creation.” The store also offers opportunities for parties and team building experiences including children’s birthdays, mom get togethers, team bonding and even sororities mixers.
Brazos Brim Hat Bar
850 William D. Fitch Pkwy Suite 800, College Station
brazosbrim.com
(979) 333-2746
Carrying on the legacy
Founded in 1960 in Downtown Brenham, the Brenham Saddle Shop prides itself on being a one stop shop for all thinks western and work apparel. Though the store has now moved from carrying saddles and saddles related items, customers can still find the same exceptional customer service the store has provided since its opening. “We pride ourselves on continuing the traditional style retail shopping with knowledgeable staff and top notch customer service,” sales associate Sage Nutt says. “We also specialize in hand shaped cowboy/cowgirl hats so we have a large amount of customers who stop in to get their hat shaped, customized, or cleaned.” One of the last true western stores in the country, the saddle shop offers a plethora of services including hand shaped hats customized in store, and boot and shoe stretching as well as a variety of products from boots to pearl snap shirts and leather belts to wallets.
Brenham Saddle Shop
1800 Highway 290 E, Brenham Facebook: Brenham Saddle Shop Inc.
(979) 836-6673
American entrepreneur spirit
After dealing with constant pain from steel stirrups, Cutting Horse Trainer Ronnie Nettles designed his own stirrups— and the rest is history. A night-time woodworking hobbyist, the idea emerged as he built an heirloom rocking horse, including saddle and stirrups for his first grandchild. While laminating those small stirrups to fit the saddle he realized lamination was the magic fix for his own stirrups. Unknown at the time, that night was the birth of Nettles Stirrups. Today, the unplanned business, which now ships stirrups world-wide, remains where it was born on the front of the Nettles' ranch right outside of Madisonville.
There is more there than a Texas stirrup manufacturing company though. Ronnie's wife, author and writer Gala Nettles, has a passion for home decor so the couple added Nettles Country Store, home not only to her books but also a variety of decor options. While the store leans toward its roots of long horns, cowhide rugs, painted cow heads and tin critters, it is also filled with an eclectic array of lamps, signs, furniture and even a small boutique full of tees, caps, jewelry and lotions. And periodically you'll find touches of the couple's artistic ability scattered throughout the store — handmade items of all kinds, from western-style paper towel holders to fireplace mantles and Cowboy Santas.
Nettles Country Store | Nettles Stirrups,
1087 Nettles Lane, Madisonville nettlescountry.com | nettles-stirrups.com
(936) 348-6541
Custom freestyle & freehand engraving
It isn't often you come across a true craftsman with over 30 years of experience in making buckles and leather goods. A silversmith with a unique style of freehand and freestyle engraving that ensures every buckle is one-of-a-kind. A Leather Maker who does "old school" tooling and airbrushes his leather dyes, creating shading effects that are mesmerizing. If you travel to the little East Texas town of Buffalo, there you will find JM Custom Buckles and the Master Craftsman, James Maddison. For him, it’s all in a day's work. When he says 100% custom, he's serious — you pick the size, shape, design and metals for your buckle, and for leather goods — you choose the colors, tooling patterns and even the color of the thread! If you have a unique project that requires special attention, James and Designer, Susan Pense, often team up to put metal and leather together in amazing ways. For example, a grieving mother wanted to remember her son, Cody, who was tragically killed in an auto accident at only 19 years old. She reached out to James to use her son's favorite cowboy boots to create something special for his family members. James knew he only had one shot at this. He pondered for several months before dismantling the boots thread by thread. Carefully saving every scrap. He created bible covers for the parents, purses for the two sisters and knife sheaths for the two brothers. Susan used her laser engraving skills to create special silver conchos that featured Cody's heartbeat and thumb print. Every time a family member snaps closed their bible cover or their purse, they placed their thumb on Cody's. Oh, and by the way, that pile of scraps was presented to the mother so she could burn them and use the ashes to put in an urn next to Cody's picture on the mantel.
JM Custom Buckles & Leather Goods
942 E Commerce Street, Buffalo jmcustombuckles.com
(254) 447-3090
See, do & experience Texas
Beginning his broadcast career in sports, Shane McAuliffe traveled across Texas at a variety of stations before landing in Aggieland at KBTX News 3. With some encouragement from then-General Manager Mike Wright, Shane made the move to covering feature stories where the idea for The Texas Bucket List stemmed as The Brazos Valley Bucket List, a summer series that featured hidden gems in the area. Before long, Shane was flooded with support from viewers to take it across Texas. Shane started his own production company and created The Texas Bucket List in 2013, which only aired on 12 stations. Now, that same show is on 23 television markets and is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2023 with the 21st season beginning on September 2.
As the founding place of The Texas Bucket List Store and Studio, community members can enjoy a storefront and studio right here in the Brazos Valley! “The Texas Store & Studios is one of the stores you have to see to experience in College Station,” Shane says. “That’s what we're all about celebrating the Lone Star State — all the incredible people, places that we have here in Texas.” The store is open to the public to take a glance at where some of the show is filmed as well as to get exclusive Texas Bucket List merchandise including shirts, hats and buckets, plus customers also have the opportunity to buy local Texas products featured on the show like olive oil and cutting boards.
The Texas Bucket List Store and Studio
614 Holleman Dr E Suite 1170, College Station thetexasbucketlist.com
(979) 353-5478
