Tuxberry and Whit brings US made goods to THE BLOCK, RR

RIO RANCHO — Add a U.S.-made home goods shop to the list of businesses to visit at THE BLOCK, because Tuxberry and Whit is open, too.

Stephanie Domman started the company with her sister, Katie Hudson.

“Katie and I are two-thirds of triplets. We are originally from Wyoming, and we started the company while I was living in Europe and she was in Denver. We lived there for nearly a decade and we missed each other,” she said.

Both have art degrees and an art background, and the company was a way to do something together. The illustrations are a combined effort by Domman and her sister’s graphic designer. The company moved to New Mexico when her husband took a job in Santa Fe.

“We’ve been doing pop-ups and growers’ market in Albuquerque and rented a space out in Old Town in Albuquerque. When THE BLOCK was opening up, as someone who lives in the Placitas, I was really excited at the opportunity to come into the general area up here because I think it’s at a place where there are not a lot of local options for food and/or retail,” Domman said.

She added it helped that THE BLOCK was receptive to having a smaller company like Tuxberry and Whit.

The company produces illustrative designs in small-batch paper goods, textiles and lifestyle products. She says they started with decorated greeting cards and grew from there. Now, they sell everything from jewelry to blankets.

“Everything we make is produced within the U.S., and we try to get that as close to New Mexico or Mountain West as possible. For some of the products that’s not possible because they just don’t have mills here,” Domman said.

The prints and greeting cards are made in Montana or Santa Fe. Paper goods are printed locally, for the most part.

“Our favorite products are the textiles. We make 100% cotton throws that we do the design for, and then we work with the mill in New York City that converts the design digital pattern into a knitting pattern. They’re knitted in small batches of seven to 10 blankets,” she said.

“What’s really cool about those is not only do they produce things on large scales, they work with small artisan brands to create unique products that are super high quality, but there’s not a huge footprint because they’re not making thousands of them that just sit; they’re solely made for us.”

Other products come from Denver and Wyoming, but nothing comes from outside the country. The challenge with this, according to Domman, is the cost of the products which in turn can hinder people from buying consistently.

“Local is going to be a different price point,” she said plainly.

She added that because everything is made in country, it will be higher in price. She says the tricky thing is that the items come with a chain of other small companies they’re supporting.

“That’s just something they’re going to have to get used to,” she said.

As a former educator, Domman also likes to have a place where people pursuing art as a career can get inspiration.

“Maybe it’s the educator coming out in me, but it’s nice to give younger kids, not that they need to emulate us or anything, but just another place to dream about what they could do with their different talents or different interests,” she said.

She says she hopes THE BLOCK will have opportunities for young artists and entrepreneurs to share their talents with the community.

For more information, visit tuxberryandwhit.com.