EBS STAFF
What were you doing in December of 2013, exactly 10 years ago? Amy Langmaid remembers: opening Rhinestone Cowgirl, Big Sky’s Western boutique. Her store is a decade old this month, and to commemorate the hard work that got her here, Explore Big Sky chatted with Langmaid about her business’ longevity, and the thing that brings her to work each day: seeing the joy of people coming into her store and feeling confident about themselves and their fashion.
This series is part of a paid partnership with the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce. The following answers have been edited for brevity.
Explore Big Sky: Let’s start with you – how long have you been in Big Sky and what brought you here?
Amy Langmaid: I moved to Big Sky in the winter of 2006-2007. I came because I had been working as a forest firefighter in Whitehall, Montana and didn’t have anything lined up for the winter. I had heard about Big Sky from my family and also some of the people I worked with. I applied at Lone Mountain Ranch and got the job teaching cross-country [skiing] – mostly the kids program at the time… I had a degree in education and English.
EBS: When did Rhinestone Cowgirl first open and what inspired you to do so?
AL: Rhinestone Cowgirl opened Dec. 10, 2013. I was inspired by JP Woolies—owned by my husband Tucker and brother and sister-in-law, Drew and Jennifer. They do such a great job with their shop on the mountain I thought they would succeed down in the Meadow as well. I also have always had a passion for fashion and helping people feel good about themselves because of feeling good about their appearance.
EBS: For those who haven’t yet been to your shop, what do you hope people experience when they walk in?
AL: I hope people experience joy—the joy of finding something special and unique—something made in Montana, or that is Western or just something that fits them perfectly. I try to keep the items in the shop different from what you can find elsewhere, but I also want the items to be wearable when guests go home.
EBS: Ten years is a big anniversary to celebrate. What can you attribute that success to?
AL: I attribute the success of Rhinestone Cowgirl to all my wonderful customers who have supported me over the years—really there would be no Rhinestone Cowgirl if people didn’t buy—my amazing employees and managers, some of whom have been with me from the start – Joan Fasoldt – and that includes friends who have stepped in to help when I just needed a last minute fill-in. Then of course my amazing family who have given me endless amounts of advice and encouragement.
EBS: Big Sky has experienced a lot of change over that time period, but what can you say hasn’t changed much about our community?
AL: I feel like our community is still all about getting outside and having fun. The people who live here prioritize living with the outdoors and that hasn’t changed and I really feel like it never will. The core of the community is also incredibly supportive of each other. For the most part people who move or live here aren’t close to family so the community you meet and work with here become your extended family.
EBS: What’s your favorite thing about being a Big Sky business owner?
AL: Getting to work at something I love—it truly is a joy to come to work, to see the new items I have purchased work on people, to meet visitors from out of town and to help people find just the right piece for a special event.
EBS: What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?
AL: To look over the numbers and make sure it will work before starting. It is great to be passionate about a new venture, but you have to sit down and work through it before getting started to make sure it all adds up and will be a success. This was especially important for me not having any type of business or finance degree. I really needed to understand what I was getting into before trying to make it work.
