Matt and Carrie Eddmenson, owners of Nashville’s own Imogene + Willie, have successfully achieved the American dream.
Growing up understanding the value of hard work, this husband and wife duo set out to achieve a lofty goal often not met by newbies in the fashion industry. Named after their grandparents, Imogene + Willie’s humble beginnings blossomed out of an email campaign to close friends and family to purchase a pair of their handmade jeans. The Imogene pant was the style for women and the Willie jean was the accompanying pair for men. The goal was to initially sell 250 pairs of their custom-cut denim to their Nashville network. After they quickly breezed through that mile marker, the Eddmensons knew that this venture was becoming much bigger than an email chain.
After moving into an old self-service gas station in Nashville’s up and coming 12 South neighborhood, the dynamic duo refurbished the old building into a warm and inviting retail space to house their creations. The décor mimics the industrial movement of the past while simultaneously nodding toward the future that fashion is fortunately headed.
From the outside, the store is somewhat unsuspecting. But once you walk inside, you are instantly captivated by the bold black brick walls, taxidermy accents, and bright orange chandeliers.
In addition to their signature style, I + W has 30 different designs, colors, and cuts to choose from in a range of sizes. So much more than just jeans.
Imogene + Willie’s brick and mortar storefront is home to a plethora of vintage hats, beauty products, slow-burning candles, and on-trend accessories. This cult brand has expertly curated items for every room in your house! The selection of Tennessee textiles can turn any room into a southern sanctuary.
Matt and Carrie have thought of everything when it comes to customer service and appreciation. In addition to fitting their clientele with some of the most comfortable and fashionable denim on the market, the Imogene + Willie team keep buyers coming back for more with unbeatable ambiance. The store not only hosts live music out back but also capitalizes on the food truck trend to feed hungry fashionistas in the parking lot! Your time shopping at Imogene + Willie transforms from errand to experience.
This small business is turning the outdated denim industry on its head, whilst maintaining firmly planted roots and core values that have been passed down from generation to generation. All of Imogene + Willie’s inventory is made by hand, made to last, and made in the USA – which makes it a perfect fit for our list of Best SMBs in America.
Editor Note: References made to businesses/companies in this post are not meant to convey endorsement by Rubicon of those companies in any way.
