small shop spotlight
Marfa moves east: Home décor and style shop JM Drygoods relocates to Austin
JM Drygoods may be a newcomer to Austin (it opened its doors in early November), but this cool and casual-chic shop first found its footing in the West Texas artistic hotspot of Marfa.
Just steps from the bustling West 6th Street area, this carefully edited “textile, ranchwear, home” shop is a refreshing respite from the busy thoroughfare. It's like being offered a glimpse of a fashionable friend's style secrets.
In this case, that little black book of style secrets belongs to Michelle Teague. A Texas-native, Teague moved to Marfa from Brooklyn when her husband was hired to work on the launch of El Cosmico.
"We had been there [in Marfa] working on There Will Be Blood (Teague worked with the film's costume team) and fell in love with it during filming. When Liz Lambert offered Jon the job, we jumped at the chance to return and have a year of adventure with our then two year-old son, Jack."
"Jack" as in, Jack Maverick, the namesake of JM Drygoods. It was one of those moments of fortuitous timing. "When the old Drygoods store in town came up for rent, I was inspired," says Teague.
Perhaps in part owing to its West Texas roots, JM Drygoods reflects an aesthetic that is both carefree and functional. Intricately embroidered Mexican dresses intermingle with a wide array of vintage cowboy boots, while handcrafted glassware and ceramics play host to a selection of furniture pieces from one of the store’s most recent additions, Silla.
A walk through the bright and airy rooms of JM Drygoods is colorful and inviting, especially with the sun streaming through the windows of this small historic Louisiana-style cottage. You also can’t help but be struck by an undeniable sense wanderlust as Teague talks you through the displays, pointing out the hand-stitched pair of sandals in the corner or the individually-crafted drinking vessel perched on the shelf.
Teague is proud of the products and the stories she has collected while working with both Texas and Mexico-based artisans, and rightfully so. She regularly makes buying trips to some of the popular markets in Mexico, most recently scouring those in Oaxaca for fun design finds to bring to her store. And if the Silla chairs look familiar, that’s probably because you’ve already enjoyed a cocktail or two at the Hotel San Jose courtyard while sitting in one of their designs.
JM Drygoods is the type of place where you go to be surprised by the retail experience, where everything is a piece of art with a unique backstory—just the spot to find a gift for that hard-to-shop-for person on your holiday list.
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JM Drygoods is located at 607 Nueces Street and is open Tuesday - Sunday from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Closed Mondays.