One of WYLDE Hudson’s taglines is “stay a while.” The other is “caffeine, collectibles, and culture.” And both sum up the aesthetic of this hybrid retail store, café, and wine bar that opened in Hudson in August 2021. “We really want people to just feel at home and relaxed,” says owner Hillary France. “I think the space really lends itself to that,” she adds.
Originally from Mount Kisco in Westchester County, France, 41, moved to Clinton Corners in 2014, and then to Hudson in 2018. “I gravitated to Hudson because I felt like there was a community that was a little bit more my age, a little bit more design oriented, and maybe a little bit grittier,” she recalls.
That design sense is evident at WYLDE. Once home to Ör, a bar and gallery on South 3rd Street, France kept the horseshoe bar and brightened WYLDE’s look with white paint, new counters and floors, and airy, open spaces. “I remember going to Ör and thinking, ‘I want to do something here,’” she says.
That something was a coffee shop. “Being a ‘90s kid, I always wanted a coffee shop,” says France. And because she also owns Brand Assembly, which produces trade events, and has a background as a buyer for fashion brands, she also opened a retail store.
A separate door leads you to the store, which is also accessible via the café area. You’ll find clothing that’s a combo of vintage pieces and brands like Jungmaven, Carleen, and Meadows. The pieces reflect France’s personal style—cowgirl meets Hudson Valley comfort with a bit of Dolly Parton thrown in. There are also locally made beauty products by Dear Botanics, Witchey Handmade, and Apis Apotheca. “We wanted to make sure that we’re mixing the upstate with the Western culture,” says France.
You’ll also find a lot of local in the coffee shop/bar. The java comes from Millerton’s Irving Farm Coffee, and the beer is from Return Brewing, which has a new taproom in Hudson on State Street. (The wine isn’t local, but it is natural, and comes from Argentina, Spain, Portugal, and France.) There are baked goods like croissants and pastries from cult favorite Breadfolks Bakery (they pivoted to wholesale). And while you can munch on bar snacks for now, France would like to partner with food trucks and pop-ups around the holidays this year—and definitely in 2024.
But that’s not all WYLDE has to offer. There’s a cushy seating area with a sofa and chairs that separates the bar and retail store, filled with coffee table books, magazines, plants, and artwork. Until it gets too cold, you can enjoy outdoor seating and a pickleball court in the parking area. (And yes, you can ask for paddles and balls at the bar and go play a game or two.)
Being a ‘90s kid, I always wanted a coffee shop.
“I love to see use of spaces in a way that can give back or be part of the community,” says France. To that end, WYLDE hosted a music series this past summer, with bands like The Neon Moons (which also doubled as a fundraiser for Transpire Help, a nonprofit that provides housing and health care resources for the LGBTQ+ community), Suitcase Junket, and The Ballroom Thieves. There have also been kids’ events and knitting workshops.
“It’s such a beautiful open space so we just want to make sure that it gets utilized for everybody,” says France. So stop by for a coffee, wine, or beer. Play pickleball or just relax. It’s all part of France’s vision of what a coffee shop should be: “I love creating vibrant spaces that people enjoy being in. A trade show is where you come together, do business and network. And I see a coffee shop as the same thing—a place where you can hang out with a friend or have a business meeting.”
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