Written And Photographed By: Anne Godenham
The Shop Out on Old Highway 99 at the south end of Mount Vernon, surrounded by huge agricultural and manufacturing businesses, there’s a sort of horse-riding mecca. Bony Pony is a one-stop-shop for horse lovers and anyone who likes to dress in western fashion.
The Atmosphere The first thing you’ll likely notice upon entering the shop is the smell of fresh leather, strong enough to be enticing without being overpowering. Then you’ll look up and see the towering ceilings, beneath which runs a display of vintage saddles along the top of the four walls that make up the large retail floor. Look back to eye level and you’ll notice rows and rows of inventory, divided by Western versus English riding style and neatly organized by category and (at least in the case of the many racks of boots) size.
Key People Bony Pony was started by Cherie Geerdes and her first husband, Jack Sims, a Skagit County-based farrier, in 1991. Geerdes is a lifelong horse rider who grew up in Friday Harbor; she’d moved to Seattle for work as a CPA when she realized that, while she loved the work, she wanted more control over her journey. The couple had long lamented the fact that there wasn’t a dedicated place to get horse gear in Skagit, so, Geerdes says, “We just said, ‘Hey, let’s look at doing a tack shop up there.’” Since her first husband’s passing in 2007, Geerdes has owned Bony Pony on her own, and she likes it that way. While her husband Michael (she’s remarried) helps out whenever she needs him to, Geerdes doesn’t mind being the sole decision-maker. “I love it,” she says, adding “it’s my baby, you know?” Geerdes employs around seven other people to help with everything from inventory and floor assistance to website and POS system management. Everyone does a bit of everything, and all of the employees are riders themselves, so they bring firsthand experience to their knowledge of the inventory.
What You’ll Find “We can outfit a horse and a rider in almost any discipline, from toddlers on up to full adults,” says Geerdes. For horses, the shop sells everything from bits, saddles, and stirrups to treats, blankets, and even tail extensions; for riders, Bony Pony has everything you could possibly need, including helmets, breeches, protective vests, and sunglasses. And then there are the boots, thousands of them, from ostrich to cayman leather, white sequins to hand-stitched embroidery. It’s an absolutely incredible selection.
Favorites And it’s not just riders who’ll love shopping here; anyone who likes the Western style will be thrilled with the selection of high-quality bags, jackets, dresses, and jewelry. They carry more than 3,000 pairs of jeans, including long sizes for men’s and women’s styles, and even stock the maximum allowable number of collectible Breyer Horses (and some more kid-friendly equestrian toys too). They also sell clothing and tack on consignment—as long as it’s in good condition and either currently in style or fashionably vintage, Geerdes will consider it. Like so many retail business owners, Geerdes balked at this question initially. After all, the store has an enormous amount of inventory; how can she be expected to choose favorites? But after thinking for a moment, she says, “Probably, you know, the boots or the shoes, because I wear them every day…so you’re always looking at something new.” And with over 5,000 pairs to choose from, the options are limitless.
2423 Old Hwy. 99 South Rd., Mount Vernon, 360.424.3500, bonypony.com
