Bubbles greet guests outside the locally owned shop. Inside, owner Nikkye Vargas has created what she calls an "I Spy" store—filled with handmade jewelry, vintage items, antiques, plants, and natural materials—all curated to reflect her deep connection to the city and a commitment to sustainable, creative business.
Vargas’ journey to owning Daughter of the Wild wasn’t born from convenience, but a blend of passion and necessity after working under a series of unstable bosses, according to Vargas. However, establishing the shop she has today wasn’t without its challenges.
Vargas began selling at the San Marcos Farmers Market in 2013 and later expanded to campus markets at Texas State University, where she first felt the strong support of the community.
It was the loss of her father in 2015 that truly shifted her focus, according to Vargas. In the midst of grief, Vargas felt a deep urge to honor his memory by embracing her artistic side, a move that led her to open her first brick-and-mortar location in 2016, just across from the H-E-B on West Hopkins Street.
“It was a part of his vision too; he'd always been like, ‘Oh, I just see you having a shop downtown that's kind of like a museum,’” Vargas said.
She also notes that being a shopkeeper runs in her blood, with many members of her family having owned shops, making it a natural path for her as well.
Like many small businesses, Daughter of the Wild faced challenges during the pandemic. The store temporarily closed, and Vargas struggled to find a new location. Vargas would try to do vending again, but found that the weather made it difficult, where she says she was going into heat stroke just to make a dollar to survive.
“There was this deep moment when I had to face the reality of potentially stopping Daughter of the Wild, not because it wasn't successful and because I didn't try, but simply because we had no outlet that was sustainable,” Vargas said.
That changed when her current location became available. After putting out one more feeler, she learned that the space was owned by her eighth grade math teacher. From there, everything fell into place, and in 2022, Daughter of the Wild found its new home.
What’s special about it?
The store is filled with handmade jewelry, stones, plants, antiques, vintage clothes, and more. Vargas takes pride in many of the items she creates, particularly the stone jewelry. She finds it fascinating to watch people interact with the natural materials, believing that society has lost its connection to nature.
Daughter of the Wild is colorful, with plants draping across the ceilings and walls. The space includes a front room and a smaller section toward the back, both packed with carefully curated knick-knacks and antiques.
Vargas says the store has evolved from selling just succulents, cacti and jewelry to offering a wider variety of options for customers. She says the store is somewhere where people can come into the space, let down their guard and tap into their inner creation.
“I hope to leave a positive impact, especially in the form of memories,” Vargas said. “I know that a lot of people who come through San Marcos don't necessarily live here, but they're experiencing a very special, magical place that is my home, and I want to ... give them something tangible to recall when they think about San Marcos.”
- 218 N. Guadalupe St., San Marcos
- www.daughterofthewild.com
