Billionaire Beloved Aspen Hat Shop to Open a Special Pop-Up Store in Rice Village — Kemo Sabe Embraces Houston’s Rodeo Season

Just in time for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Aspen’s iconic Western shop Kemo Sabe is swaggering into Rice Village with a two week pop-up store that opens this Thursday, February 24th and runs through March 6th. Along with its must-have line of hats, boots and Western jewelry, Kemo Sabe will launch an exclusive denim jacket line, designed in collaboration with the Double D Ranch, based in Yoakum, Texas.

Of course, included in the luxury Western goods offering is Kemo Sabe‘s signature Grit hat, the style that billionaire Jeff Bezos wore when he soared into space in July aboard the New Shepard capsule. Never mind that the hat was a decade old, it is said to be one of the space adventurer’s favorites.

Of note, the hats are handmade at the Kemo Sabe Hat Ranch, as it is known, located in Gainesville, Texas. Kemo Sabe opened in Snowmass Village, Colorado in 1990, but found the luxury retail market much hotter in Aspen. So it moved down Highway 82 to take up residence in the rich man’s mecca on bustling Galena Street.

Rice Village’s New Kemo Sabe

The new Rice Village pop-up, tucked into the space at located at 2414 University Boulevard., Suite 100 next to CB2, will boast the full selection of Kemo Sabe wares including belts, buckles, hats and boots as well as select clothing options.

“We are excited to partner with Rice Village during this rodeo event and in bringing our premier product offerings to Houston during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo,”  Kemo Sabe owner and president Wendy Kunkle says in a statement. “This event and the iconic Rice Village is the perfect fit for our company, which prides itself on creating a memorable experience for our customers.”

A special Rice Village Rodeo event takes place from 5 to 8 pm on March 4 at the corner of Morningside Drive and University Boulevard. The festivities will include a musical trio, pop-up shops, a mechanical bull and a petting zoo. Merchants set to participate in the Rodeo themed evening are Chloe Dao, Christina Greene, Duck Camp, Face Haus, King Ranch, MYX Blend Bar, tasc Performance, Tecovas, Prego, SkinSpirit and Sprinkles.

“As Rice Village continues to grow and evolve, we are thrilled to bring in exciting pop-ups like Kemo Sabe and host memorable events to engage the local community,” Rice Management Company investment manager Morgan Lera says in a statement.