Women Building Business: Karen Koerselman Expands Upscale Retail Experience

Karen Koerselman is a local business owner that has built a unique kind of shopping experience, incorporating Western flair, designer fashion, and vintage decor.

Karen Koerselman has spent the better part of the last two decades creating upscale retail spaces that bring big city luxury down to Earth. By featuring designer clothing and accessories within a backdrop of vintage decor and industrial fixtures, she has given Huntsville a unique kind of shopping experience that can’t always be found in a small town.

She moved to Huntsville from Tuscaloosa, Alabama with her family at the age of three. Her formal education was all about beauty. She majored in Fashion Merchandising at Bauder Design College in Dallas and then became a licensed cosmetologist. She was a stylist at the Facemaker while working at Casa Tomas, which is one of several local restaurants that have been owned and operated by her family over the years.

Koerselman has had a lifetime of customer service experience through these places. The local institutions like the Cafe Texan and Farmhouse Cafe, her family has shaped where local residents gather to eat.

She married her husband Brian in 1991 and he has helped support and expand their ventures serving in a number of roles. From food to remodeling, he has helped set the stage for her success.

“I have to credit my husband Brian for all he does behind the scenes,” said Koerselman. “And my kids and their spouses never cease to amaze me. Each one of them is smart, talented, and hard working.”

Her son Blake, who graduated from SHSU with a degree in business, runs the Farmhouse Creamery. Her daughter Tori owns The General Performance Training and Crossfit Gym. Her son Barrett is in land development and both of her daughters in law are teachers in Willis.

Koerselman began her own venture inside the Farmhouse Cafe in 2003, primarily offering home decor. Originally named Farm Gypsy, she expanded her business into the strip center next door in 2005. In October of 2020 her family opened the creamery, offering homemade ice cream and gourmet coffee. Since the local ordinance only allowed curbside pickup during the pandemic, she used the extra time without foot traffic to work on the current location.

She rebranded her retail shop as Wild Honey last year. The creamery itself has a comfy nook to decompress and catch up with friends. The space that connects it to the retail shop is perfect for working remotely or holding small meetings. The mix of vintage furniture with posh modern and antique accents against a neutral background with industrial fixtures creates a unique space that invites guests to relax and look around. It’s fun and fancy, exuding comfort and luxury.

“I love my customers, and I like to keep them happy. My goal was to create a destination spot that shows visitors Huntsville has a lot to offer,” said Koerselman. “My grandmother was the person who instilled a love of old things, repurposing them to make them pretty.”

She says her favorite part is going to market to purchase stock for the store, which takes her to Dallas, Las Vegas, and sometimes New York. Some of their featured fashion pieces look like they came fresh off a runway during fashion week, offering local fashion hounds a way to get their fix right away instead of traveling or ordering online. If you’re looking for a dress that will turn heads and drop jaws, this is the place to find it.

You’ll also find great customer service with young women like Macie Castleberry. She stays busy keeping the space stocked and tidy and helping guests choose the elements of an attractive ensemble. She is part of a team of loyal young women who are lending their time and talents to different aspects of the family ventures.

Courtney Park worked in the tanning salon that was once located in the strip, which Koerselman owned for a couple of years before turning it into a retail space. Park stuck with the family through each transition and is part of the main staff at the creamery.

Megan Schooler graduated from SHSU in December and has worked with Koerselman for four years.

She handles social media and is a big part of Wild Brim, which they opened last August in the warehouse across the street.

Schooler has been trained to custom shape hats, which pairs nicely with her eye for color and fashion.

They have a large selection of felt and straw hats to choose from, with a nice stock of Stetson for men and a wide range of styles for women.

At the hat bar in the back room, Schooler can help you embellish your hat with an endless array of bands, pins, and feathers.

Open Thursday through Sunday, you’ll find the best of casual Western wear and accessories in the front, including vintage boots and jeans, silk scarves, and party supplies. The location is dog friendly, and they offer super durable leather collars that feature handwoven Southwest designs.

Koerselman and Schooler call this style “Bougie Western,” incorporating designer fashion and authentic Western flair. Cool graphic tees, turquoise jewelry and Pendleton rain boots join handbags, pocket knives and an ever changing rotation of Western fashion you can wear on the ranch, in the city and anywhere in between. Their collection of jackets will make you swoon.

You can enjoy a complimentary adult beverage while you browse, and as the weather cools off this fall, live music on the front patio will become a part of the experience.

In the near future, Koerselman’s family will be opening the former Homestead restaurant on 19th Street as Farmstead 1834. The house next door, formerly the Eclectic Cafe, is now called Slumber and will be one of Huntsville’s newest Air Bnbs.

For Koerselman, giving back to the community goes hand in hand with owning a business. She donates to local charities and non-profits as often as possible, supporting SAAFE House, Good Shepherd Mission, the Huntsville High School Football Team, CASA of Walker County, and the local Boys and Girls Club. She also donates prom dresses to Huntsville High School students and participates in Diva Night, setting an example for her employees as an entrepreneur and philanthropist.

If you haven’t been in to look around, you can see what they offer online at https://www.wildhoneytx.com/collections/wild-brim. Wild Honey is located in the strip at 1329 University Ave and is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. Wild Brim is open from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

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