CW Tack & Western Wear celebrates 4 decades in the community

WASILLA — CW Tack & Western Wear recently celebrated its 40-year anniversary.

Charlie Willis and his wife Nancy both expressed how enjoyable the past four decades have been. Charlie said it went by fast.

“It doesn't seem like it's been that long," Charlie said with a laugh.

Nancy said that she's proud of the fact they’ve thrived as a small business over the last 40 years. She said that going above and beyond to assist customers is one of their core values, and it’s one of the things that keeps bringing people to their store.

“We try to do a lot of customer service. If we don't have something we try our best to get it. So, I think that has helped," Nancy said. “We try to help everybody.”

Nancy said that one of her favorite things is getting the chance to see kids smile as they're trying on hats and finding the right fit.

“That's priceless,” Nancy said.

Charlie said that finding the right fit is their personal mission for everyone who walks through their doors. He said they take their time with customers to ensure they pick the style, color, and appropriate sized hat. He said they offer services such as steaming and shaping each hat to suit each customer's head dimensions.

“We're gonna help you get fitted,” Charlie said.

CW Tack & Western Wear is a store that offers products for all ages. It's a place for people actively living and working in the equestrian lifestyle or people who simply appreciate the western style. They carry a wide range of western wear such as cowboy hats, boots, belts, and jackets. They also have numerous gear options such as rodeo and trail riding equipment.

Charlie said they're starting to receive shipments for straw hats which are a popular summer item. He said they carry over 600 pairs of boots and about 300 hats at a given time. He noted that they're also the only shop in Alaska that offers hat cleaning services.

“If you want to be a cowboy... This is the place to be," Charlie said.

Charlie said they've garnered a lot of positive feedback from the community over the years which has been very encouraging to keep doing what they love.

“People accept it really well," Charlie said. “We get a lot of nice compliments on the way we run our business.”

Local customer Jack Houck picked out a cowboy hat at CW Tack & Western Wear Monday, April 15. He said it was a fun experience and he appreciated the helpful and knowledgeable staff.

“It's wonderful," Houck said. “They made it way easy for me.”

Houck said that he was impressed by CW Tack & Western's long history in the community.

“I love the fact that it's here. That's pretty amazing,” Houck said.

The western style is more than just a store for Charlie and Nancy. It's a way of life and something they've shared with their family and surrounding community. They offer roping clinics to teach people how to rope steer on horses at their personal arena.

“This is what we've done for a lot of years," Charlie said. "This is something the whole family can do."

For more information about CW Tack & Western Wear, including upcoming events, visit cwtack.com. The store is located at 991 E. Hermon Road in Wasilla, just off the Parks Highway near Lowes.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com