Brims and brews: Spirit of Wild West lives on through these two Vegas businesses

Hats by day, highballs by night: The spirit of the Wild West is alive and well at The Dustland Bar and Desert Bird Hat Co., two women-led local businesses where National Finals Rodeo fans can keep their style and their thirst in check when the bulls aren’t bucking.

Western watering hole

The Dustland Bar, 1433 S. Commerce St., debuted in downtown Las Vegas this past summer to rave reviews.

“We wanted to do Western based on honoring what Vegas started out as,” says Roxanna Hendrickson, who co-owns the bar with husband Logan, Jen Taler and Kat Kalma.

The bar’s aesthetic owes to its Southwest desert backdrop, as well as Taler’s home state of Texas and iconic Westerns. Warm orange and yellow hues paint the walls, alongside murals of horses, desert foliage and taxidermied touches. In one corner sits a player piano; in another, a vintage analog photo booth.

The Hendricksons, who also own a lighting and furniture company called onefortythree, handled the bar’s build-out, getting their hands in almost every crevice of the space.

“The Western of it all really works with what we like to do in terms of material, very natural materials and then classic lines,” Roxanna Hendrickson says.

Everything in the space is custom-made, with help from the entire crew. Sit on one of their vintage, upholstered chairs or slide into a custom, handmade booth. Also, don’t forget to look down: The floor was made by cutting over 1,500 vinyl tiles on a table saw to get it just right.

From behind the cracked stone bar, which was also handmade, The Dustland serves up craft cocktails and some hard-to-find offerings.

For the cowboys, Hendrickson recommends a Caballero, which has Stranahan’s single-malt whiskey, Capeletti Hay liqueur, Angostura bitters, cherry vanilla bitters and a dash of maple syrup, or maybe an Amarillo, their take on a white negroni, with The Producer mezcal, Luxardo bitter apertif and Nixta Elote liqueur.

Guests can build their own margarita, with choice of liquor, flavor, spice level and rim.

But The Dustland’s proudest accomplishment is Coors Banquet Beer on tap, she says. “We’re one of the few places in town to actually carry it on tap. On tap is a different experience.”

The drinks don’t stop flowing outside. Grab a brew, a bag of chips or a pickle at their outside bar and catch a live band or just kick up some dust.

Crowning achievement

The Dustland has hosted a slew of Western-themed events, including a pop-up of Desert Bird Hat Co. earlier this year. The bespoke hat-makers can help you show up to the rodeo in style.

Desert Bird owner Kelly Sokoloski, a Las Vegas native, has been obsessed with all things Western and turquoise since she was a little girl. She started her hat customization business in May 2024 after a trip to a hat-making shop in Santa Paula, California, “sparked something.” From there, a workshop taught Sokoloski all about hats.

“I learned how to steam, shape and size people,” she says. “I went from knowing nothing about hats and then left there, came back and bought everything.”

Since then, her business has gone off without a hitch, customizing hats from crown to brim. Sokoloski sets up her booth at conventions, craft shows, bars and events, or customers can book an appointment at her home workshop.

After providing their hat size, customers choose their material — which may range from wool to beaver to rabbit blends — and color. Then, the fun starts. Once the steamer kicks on, Sokoloski can add myriad designs to the crown, from classic styles such as Brick, Walker and Cattleman to custom crown designs like a rose, cactus, snake or skull.

She can add just about anything to a hat. Sokoloski has an array of bands in a wide range of materials. Pluck a feather from her collection, pick from her bucket of pins and matchbooks or bring something uniquely your own.

“One of my favorite things is if you were to bring me something sentimental, like a piece of jewelry,” Sokoloski says. “I want to incorporate that on your hat, too. Once, I had a lady bring her dad’s old leather belt.”

For the brim, she can brand or burn whatever customers please, or leave it blank.

Prices start at $200, which includes steaming, shaping, burning and branding. Other add-ons are typically $15 to $40. Since starting her company, Sokoloski has shipped all around the country, including Georgia and Texas, but during rodeo season, she hopes to add more to her growing list.

Contact Emerson Drewes at edrewes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @EmersonDrewes on X.