Saugerties: women’s fashion capital of Hudson Valley?

Wendy Coffey (photo by Will Dendis)

W Couture

“I wanted a shop with a French-sounding name,” said proprietress Wendy Coffey, who grew up in Rifton, graduated from Kingston High School and now lives in the tiny town of Bloomington, between Rosendale and Kingston on Route 32. Coffe is a single mom with three kids: 21-year-old Karissa, 17-year-old Nicholas, and 8-year-old Ryan.

Daughter Karissa’s brush with mortality inspired Coffey to take a chance with her own business. Karissa, who is diabetic, nearly died while on the waiting list for a pancreas transplant. Wendy has always been interested in decorating and fashion and she decided it was “now or never.”

Next came the search for a location.

“My kids and I were driving around, and first we went to the Strand in downtown Kingston looking to see if there were any open buildings there, and it was so dead. Then we came here to Saugerties and found this lively town, saw that there was an open storefront and decided this is where we would have our shop,” Coffey said.

The name for the shop came to her in the middle of the night. “I wanted a French-sounding name so that if we ever had our own clothing label, we could use it and there it was, W Couture,” she said with a laugh.

She’s not put off by the lackluster economy. “I was led to do this,” she said. “I feel this is my calling.”

If this past weekend is any indication, Coffey is in for a long-run. Her business was full of customers last Sunday when I stopped in to talk with her.

Holly Coe, who owned Sugar in Woodstock, said she’s thrilled that a new boutique is open on Main Street, especially a curvy plus size boutique. “This is so, so special,” she said.

Rhinna Rodriguez, who owns the Main Street Restaurant with her husband, Jorge, said she likes the “convenience of the place right on Main Street.”

“And it’s good that we now have several clothing boutiques here, maybe they will be a draw to Saugerties.”

Daisy from Dig weighs in

Daisy Bolle of Dig echoed Rodriguez’s comments when asked about the sudden influx of designer clothing stores for women, saying that maybe the way antique shops made Saugerties a destination in the 1970s, 80s and 90, stores such as Dig, Cherry Blossoms, and W Couture will do the same in the 2010s with clothing.

“Saugerties is a small town and if the new boutiques want to flourish, they will need to find their own niche,” she said. “I wish them luck in this endeavor. A thriving and beautiful village is good for everybody.”