Soon after opening, Womenfolk received quite a bit of media attention. Amberley Baker and Greer Freed, the store’s proprietors, were even paid a visit by Tyler Haney, founder and CEO of Outdoor Voices. Haney had her eye on a vintage pair of chaps. The chaps were not available for purchase—they had belonged to Freed’s late mother, and were serving as decor in the shop—but Freed graciously offered to loan them out. Haney purchased other items to round out her western look, and was soon posting photos online of her ensemble for New Year’s Eve in Jackson Hole.

“Vogue.com picked her outfit in their top 10 celebrity outfits,” Freed says. “This was in our first three weeks after opening. It was exciting and unexpected.”

The shop opened in December 2018, founded by longtime friends Baker and Freed. The two Texans became instant friends when they met in Jackson, and their 6-year-old daughters refer to each other as sisters.

The shop offers a collection of curated consignment and vintage clothing and accessories. “Womenfolk is more than just finding something to wear,” Baker says. “It’s sharing stories with each other through our clothing.”

Many people first took note of the shop via an Instagram account featuring black and white inspiration photos, followed by a pop-up shop at Nest during Mountain Craft.

“It’s grown very organically,” Freed says. “It’s been really grassroots, word-of-mouth exposure. We started with the idea of preserving the character of Jackson, the history of the women who have made their home here, the women forging their lives here now.”

They frequently find clothing with meaningful stories. “We had this amazing custom Oscar de la Renta gown, made in 1968 for a woman
to wear to her daughter’s wedding,” Freed says. “Her daughter wore it to her own son’s wedding. It’s such a special piece. So many people have wanted it, but it hasn’t been the right fit. It will be like the magic slipper. We have only one of everything—it either fits or it doesn’t, and that adds to the thrill of the hunt.”

Both Freed and Baker treasure pieces their late mothers once wore. Baker and her sister, who lives in Brooklyn, even ship cherished items back and forth to share. They appreciate the value of a piece’s history.

“It’s an opportunity for women to share items that have meant something, and pass those along to someone who will treasure those pieces,” Freed says. “It’s a way to appreciate heritage and history, and also avoid being wasteful.”

In addition to running Womenfolk, both Baker and Freed have full-time careers. Baker is a partner at Wylie Baker law firm, specializing in land-use and business transactions, while Freed is the associate director of development at the Nature Conservancy in Wyoming.

“We really enjoy our careers, but Womenfolk has allowed us to explore our creativity,” Freed says. “It’s been a really energizing experience.”