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Photos courtesy of Old Souls
Whether you’ve lived upstate all your life or just made the move in the last few years, there’s one thing everyone can agree on: some shoes just aren’t made for the outdoors.
Or, for that matter, are many coats, bags, sweaters, or socks. For clothing and gear to stand up to the elements they need to be made from quality materials and designed with those conditions in mind. As for how to figure out which ones to choose? That’s where Old Souls in Cold Spring comes in.
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Photos courtesy of Old Souls
“Most people think wool is impractical for everyday wear because they think it itches or it’s only for winter or for skiing or hiking,” says Tara Caroll, who owns Old Souls (plus Barber & Brew next door) with her husband James. “But if you spend five minutes with us, we’ll convince you that a quality merino wool sock should be your go-to choice year-round for any activity, or just for your nine-to-five.
Tara and James know exactly what it takes to transition your wardrobe into classic, functional pieces that can go from a four-hour hike to dinner because they’ve done it themselves.
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Photos courtesy of Old Souls
Prior to moving to Cold Spring, the couple was living in New York City and exploring Tara's childhood stomping grounds in the Catskills nearly every weekend. With each trip, James' love for fly fishing the area's famed rivers grew to the point that he became a professional guide and started Old Souls Fly Fishing out of their Brooklyn apartment. Eventually, James and Tara felt the itch to get out of the city, and the small riverfront town of Cold Spring felt like the perfect mix of James’ upbringing in Buffalo and Tara’s rural beginnings in Sullivan County.
Shortly after arriving in Cold Spring, the couple found themselves eyeing an empty storefront on Main Street and in 2013, they opened Old Souls as a way to blend James’ passion for fly fishing with the need locally for a small business that offered quality outdoor gear and country-styled home goods.
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Photos courtesy of Old Souls
Today, the shop carries heritage brands known for style and longevity like Patagonia, Filson, Marmot, Pendleton, Yeti, and more, as well as their own
Old Souls-branded merch, some of which is made in collaboration with
Mixture in Newburgh. “Our sourcing is all about buying quality goods that our clients will need to buy once, and use it well. We don't sell anything that doesn't meet our standards or our client's standards, and ends up in a landfill after one use,” says Tara.
In addition to cultivating an atmosphere of conscientiousness among customers, the two are also mindful of Old Souls' impact in the community. As a member of Patagonia’s
1% For the Planet, the shop donates one percent of its top-line revenue to local conservation and agricultural organizations.
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Photos courtesy of Old Souls
During non-pandemic times, James also
leads fishing trips to locations like Cuba, the Bahamas, Kamchatka in Russia, and Christmas Island in the South Pacific, Naturally, in addition to everyday clothing and goods, Old Souls has become a spot for outdoor enthusiasts to source everything they need for anything from a hike on Kilimanjaro to a simple fly fishing trip upstate.
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Photos courtesy of Old Souls
“Our clients that are heading off to far-flung destinations for outdoor pursuits will often be given a list of what they should go out and buy for a trip, but these lists often don't tell them in detail what they really need, or which makeups of certain gear are right for the exact situation,” says James. “But if someone says they’re going to go fish for golden dorado in Bolivia or climb Mount Marcy, our team knows exactly what they need, down to the nitty-gritty details.”
Explore more at Oldsouls.com.
