Jackie & Rodger Chieffalo of Chieffalo Americana

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie & Rodger Chieffalo.

Hi Jackie and Rodger, thanks so much for joining us. Please kick things off with a bit of an intro to how you got to where you are today?

Chieffalo americana began as a side passion for Rodger … long before we opened the brick-and-mortar in December 2020. Rodger had been renovating vintage beaver felt hats as a side hobby for the last 15 years. He knew measuring people’s heads, meeting them in coffee shops was not the ideal way to sell hats. Eventually, he’d have to open a storefront for folks to try on. 

As a commercial developer, he knew what was needed to successfully open a store… a cool space and a partner. In 2016 he met Jackie, an LA-based handbag designer, and manufacturer. They bonded over all things vintage, upcycled, small batch manufactured, and the preservation of old, well-made things. Their friendship blossomed into a love story, and in late fall 2020, they decided to elope, buy a home, and open Chieffalo Americana.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

Opening during a pandemic may not have seemed like a good idea, but it worked out well for us. There was already a following on social media with over 200 plus hats sold, so the name of the game was getting the word out and getting customers though the doors. Social Media continues to be where most of our customers discover us. We took the leap this year and have an ad in Cowboys & Indians magazine. That has exposed us to a lot of new customers from outside of DFW area. 

We both have the same mindset to just “start where you are”. It has been relatively smooth as we found we are very compatible partners… we are constantly evaluating and self-analyzing what could be better. Our combined professional and life experiences also benefit the partnership. Rodger’s 40-year history of putting small businesses in and around the Fort Worth area came in handy, and Jackie’s past as a stylist and designer, as well as years of her retail experience, rounded out the successful recipe. 

The biggest challenge for us is the future and creating a website. How do we retain the human element of shopping in person and transfer that to an online presence. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?

As far as we know, Chieffalo Americana is the only place to get a fully renovated and restored vintage beaver felt hat.

We take pride in offering what Fort Worth’s own Amon G Carter created for himself back in 1920; a cattleman shaped, 5″ crown with a 3″ brim. We call it the Cowboy Fedora, and we couldn’t do the renovations without Capital Hatters in Stephenville, TX. 

We believe in old things with history…western buckles, rancher, and jewelry round out the vintage mix. As for contemporary brands, we carry only made in USA …it’s a constant dive into researching and finding these brands, but we find it easier and easier each quarter. 

We also sell regional western artists and authors. The art began as a way to “fill our empty walls,” and it has since become a valuable addition to the Western lifestyle we want to share. 

What makes you happy?

Happiness is knowing each day we grasp the opportunity to add to our story…share our passion of vintage and new americana with all who walk through the door, and bringing folks together. Creating new Americana stories and keeping the old ones going is what makes us smile at the end of each day.