For Daisy Montez, owning a business was not something new. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her down several different paths in the past, from a childcare service in California to Journey Dance facilitation, a therapeutic form of group dance. And although the concept for her latest venture had been in the back of her mind for a while, it didn’t come to fruition until the onset of Covid-19.
“With the first wave of Covid, I couldn’t continue my current work,” she said. “I felt there was a need for a shop and safe space where people could explore and connect with the tools necessary to empower their sensuality.”
Helping people was always in the plan. Initially studying to be a clinical psychologist, it would be a rare heart condition requiring medical attention and rest that would give her time to think and ultimately lead her in a new direction. “I decided to pause and take a break from everything I was doing.”
During that time Montez discovered a form of therapy new to her through the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck. “A friend invited me to a female empowerment workshop at Omega, and it was there where I encountered Journey Dance. The dancing was such a healing experience. The connection with other women was cathartic and beautiful, and I realized this was also a form of therapy.”
Journey Dance is a therapeutic healing practice achieved through movement and dance. It requires a large room with a group of people. Continuing her practice during the pandemic just wasn’t an option.
Enter The Red Foxxx — a Latina-owned and operated lingerie and wellness boutique in Woodstock.
The first two years of The Red Foxxx were solely online. Montez learned the business, met vendors at trade shows, and made connections. “It was always a goal of mine to open a store, but when everything shut down I wasn’t sure if it was a smart idea. An online store was a way to start slowly offering products to people I know.” The brick-and-mortar store opened its doors last October.
The name The Red Foxxx is a nod to a series of powerful events, people, and figurative and literal encounters with the creature that would become a central symbol in Montez’s life. “It started feeling like bread crumbs. Every time I would meditate or think about this venture, a red fox would come up in one way or another. It became my spirit animal.”
Montez, a California native, lived in Brooklyn for ten years and first visited Woodstock for her husband’s 40th birthday. They both fell in love with the area. In 2017, Montez and her husband made it permanent.
“I’m not really a city person,” she explained. “I grew up near the desert, and proximity to nature and more space is important. When we came up here for the first time, it was so beautiful to reconnect with each other and our surroundings.”
A ripple effect
The goal of the shop goes beyond the selling of retail items, according to Montez. “This isn’t just a retail shop. Journey Dance led me in the direction of building community and awareness of self-care, and I want to continue that here.”
The Red Foxxx emphasizes the importance of body positivity, female empowerment, and inclusiveness.
“I grew up in the era of Victoria’s Secret angels,” she said. “I remember as a young girl, not necessarily fitting that type of body that we saw everywhere. I didn’t feel like I fit in and was riddled with insecurities. Women need to see themselves being represented. Female empowerment means making conscious choices from a place of self-love. Every choice causes a ripple effect, and when you love and accept your truth and make choices from that place, you build a life you love that is strong and capable of handling the ebbs and flows of life.”
Her store will start offering more to the community beginning in the spring. “We are building a foundation to offer educational services, and events on a regular basis to help empower people to connect with their senses and feel comfortable within themselves,” she said. “I’m committed to body inclusivity and supporting brands using materials for their products that reflect this idea and who include photographs of lingerie on all different body types and sizes.”
So far, the best-sellers are lingerie and sexual wellness products, according to Montez. Her biggest surprise has been how excited and welcoming older women from the community have been. “Most shoppers who leave with a purchase are women in their late 50s to early 60s. I honestly didn’t expect the curiosity. Women who are my mom’s age want to be very sexual, and it’s a wonderful surprise.”
She credits the younger generation as central to bridging the gap for those who might be curious but too shy to explore.
“I think female empowerment has come a long way. It’s been a long road but now the younger generation is empowering their generation and others. There’s a ripple effect. I see a lot of older women feeling safer and more comfortable asking questions and exploring certain things that they never thought they’d be exploring. They are discovering and rediscovering this side of them.”
Try something on
Montez said she also understands the environmental impacts of an industry that she said was responsible for ten percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. “Sustainability is one of the main deciding factors when I’m sourcing products in the shop. I’m proud of the brands I carry in the store.” Sandmaiden, Movelle, and Monique Morin, a New York City-based and ethically sourced lingerie company, are examples of brands using sustainable fabrics.
So far, Montez said she has felt extremely welcome in a town that has always balanced old-Woodstock charm with a willingness to push the edge. She encourages locals and visitors to come in and try something on. “I get so excited when I hear shouts of excitement from the dressing room. I know they feel so great in that moment.”
The Red Foxxx at 68 Tinker Street offers a variety of lingerie, lounge-to-sleepwear, and sensual wellness products. The hours are Friday through Monday, noon to 6 p.m.. To view products, make a purchase, and learn more, visit: www.shoptheredfoxxx.com.
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