Along historic Deadwood’s Main Street, a husband and wife duo opened Madame Peacock’s Beer & Bling—a brick-and-mortar shop designed with a twist.
Madame Peacock’s stemmed from Julie and Tom Koth’s wish for a permanent home in the Black Hills. Together, the couple shares 15 years of retail experience, from being vendors at the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally to owning wholesale company TommyandMe.
After Tom sold his parking lot sweeping business, the pair sought a new opportunity to pursue, but were sidelined by Julie’s hip surgery.
“While healing, I was perusing the internet and saw a building for sale in Deadwood,” shared Julie. “My first thought was, ‘If I tell Tom about this opportunity, it will probably change my life.’”
“I’m always looking for hidden gems.” -Julie Koth
And it did. After touring the historic building on New Year’s Eve of 2011, the couple saw potential, purchased the property, and hit the ground running opening in April 2012.
The boutique boasts a stylish selection of women’s attire catering to various tastes.
The merchandise is a mix of one-of-a-kind and unique items, as Julie attends several markets across the East and West Coast to find distinct, standout clothing and accessories.
The shop is finely curated with inventory from tops, bottoms, dresses, and shoes, to jewelry, bags, and fine fragrances from Prairie Artisan Fragrances.
“My mission is to find fashion that stands out and is a true expression of someone’s unique style, whether it’s Western glam, cowgirl cool, bohemian, or a style that defies description,” explained Julie.
But Madame Peacock’s offers more than retail products.
Imagine browsing through the latest fashion trends while enjoying an ice-cold beer. This is the reality at Madame Peacock’s.
According to Julie, Madame Peacock’s Beer & Bling combines a women’s boutique and a beer paradise for men.
A full-service beer bar is tucked between racks of trendy clothing and accessories.
“Before we bought the building it was previously Mint Casino, and therefore it had a bar right smack in the middle,” said Julie.
Desiring to stay true to the history of the building as a casino, Julie states keeping the bar in service was a no-brainer.
SEASONED SELLERS
Together, with the couple’s various business endeavors, Tom and Julie have over 60 years of experience in retail.
“Tom originally suggested the bar should stay,” said Julie.
“I noticed many businesses didn’t have a spot for men to land while their ladies were shopping,” added Tom.
Now, Madame Peacock’s has, what Julie and Tom call, the “Schlitz Museum.”
“Consequently, people began to bring in Schlitz memorabilia,”
said Julie. The rejuvenated in-house bar carries a variety of beer from local breweries and seltzers, but is known for serving one beer in particular—Schlitz.
Why? It was the first beer Tom had ever gotten a buzz off of over 50 years ago.
A vintage Schlitz cooler brought in by a local patron was the first item added to the museum’s collection. To thank the customer for contributing, Tom asked what he wanted for the cooler. It wasn’t clothing nor jewelry, but a copious amount of Schlitz.
Soon, the bar evolved into an exhibition holding a mixture of the beer’s common and rare collectibles and merchandise.
“Customers who haven’t had Schlitz in 30 to 50 years will often say ‘it’s not that bad’ after tasting it again,” shared Julie.
The comment stuck with Tom and Julie, so much so the couple designed and now sells exclusive t-shirts and baseball caps with the slogan: “Schlitz. It’s not that bad.”
“We sold over 10,000 bottles of Schiltz last year, which is not bad for a lady’s clothing store,” exclaimed Tom.
OPEN 363 DAYS OF THE YEAR
Madame Peacock’s Beer & Bling is open daily except for Christmas and Thanksgiving Day.
Since opening over a decade ago, Madame Peacock’s Beer & Bling has aimed to create a welcoming environment for its customers. Whether customers are simply browsing or enjoying a drink, Julie and Tom want them to feel at home.
“Many of our patrons have made great friends in the store and now plan get-togethers with each other,” stated Julie.
The Koths want new and returning customers to know they’re always welcome to sit back and have a good time.
“We live for our customers,” expressed Julie. “It’s so much more than shopping.”
In addition to its owners, Madame Peacock’s staff is equally dedicated.
“They’re simply not employees—they’re family,” said Tom. “Our staff and customers have seen each other through life-changing events who stay in touch and support each other.”
Julie added, “We’re truly unlike your typical lady’s clothing store.”
