ADDICTION MEETUP 2025: ONE FOR THE BOOKS!

Every year, it gets better – we work out kinks, we take feedback into account, and we aim to improve. But this year… well, this year just felt different.

“Well, YEAH, it felt different!” Hedy exclaimed. “We had AC everywhere this year!”

While that’s not exactly what we meant, she’s not wrong. Those of you who have been to the Meetup in the past will remember the big white tent. It was a structure we’d set up in the parking lot between the back door of the outlet and the boot room, and it would house sales racks and seating tables. (One year, it housed our resident fake-fortune-teller, Claire.) Try as we might to provide as much shade and moving air (a la swamp coolers) as we possibly could, any attendees of years past will tell you – it was STEAMY. And as much as guests might’ve been unenthused about that particular space, we assure you, our employees loathed it much more – especially, the ones who had to raise, lower, and maintain it. Well, rejoice! There is a tent no more! Thanks to an unfortunate catastrophic weather event – or as Koy puts it, “The best Christmas present ever!” – the tent met its final fate and we decided it’s time for a permanent solution. So, we built a building. More specifically, we built Y’ALL a building, that we christened and dedicated this weekend, officially dubbing it “The Addiction Party Barn.” The structure is essentially freestanding, with a small walkway between the main showroom and the new entrance, but it is affixed to and opens into the boot room. It’s not quite fully finished out, but y’all, that baby went up in RECORD time – we only broke ground a month before Addiction week started, and Councilman Mitchell had to call in a whole heap of favors to fast-track construction. But it’s up and air-conditioned, and that’s what mattered. Plus, it was kind of cool that partygoers got to leave their mark by signing the studs.

Oh, and speaking of upgrades to the amenities – this year, The Gin was fully finished out, with a cranking AC and running water – i.e. we got to potty indoors this year! It was fabulous and fun and really wonderful that we got to host every evening’s events in the same venue.

So yeah, like Hedy said, it did quite literally feel different this year. But moreover, it felt different in a spiritual, soulful way.

“God was most definitely here this year,” Cheryl said. “I mean, God guides our hand in everything we do at DDR; we spend a lot of time worshiping and reflecting whether what we’re doing and creating is honoring Him. But this year, His presence at this gathering was so evident it was almost palpable. In the faces of these beautiful women, in the friendships we watched form in front of our very eyes, in stories that were shared with us about people witnessing to each other and bowing their heads together right there in the store room. It was absolutely incredible, I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced anything quite like it – I’ve got chills just thinking about it.”

God was definitely here, and thanks to Nina Bracken, so was Baby Jesus. Everywhere. Part prank and part lighthearted reminder that the Lord really is all around us, tiny baby Jesus figurines could be spotted Easter-egg style all around the showroom this week. What a funny, faith-filled treat!

We have no hesitation in saying this reunion was definitely blessed. And we know we say it every year, but this Meetup was hands-down the best one yet! So, without further ado, let’s dive right into the recap of the week for those who weren’t able to come and those who simply want to relive it!

WEDNESDAY, DAY 1:

Whew boy! Are y’all an eager bunch or what?! We agreed to open the store an extra hour early during the sale so folks could make the most of their time here, and yet, when we got there to unlock the door, there was already a line down the block reaching clear to the stop sign, that apparently started forming at about 7:40 a.m.! We couldn’t help but laugh – but man, we sure appreciate your enthusiasm. Y’all kept our workerbees busy – ringing up at the register, running to the warehouse for more sizes, and making margaritas like they were going out of style. (Rumor has it, we went through NINE batches that day.)

The extra space certainly made it more seamless, and y’all, it is so fun to see you gals light up at scoring a super sale find. Now, not only will you have a wardrobe full of treasures, each of those treasures will hold a fond memory, too!

Wednesday evening, we scuttled on over to The Gin for a little boot-scootin’ to the charming country crooning of LeAnne and Jo-El Ulmer of 2Country4Nashville. Not only are they gifted entertainers who can please a crowd with the classics we were raised on, but they’re also longtime friends of the brand and DDR devotees themselves, so they often incorporate some comical little change-ups to the lyrics that really resonate with our particular audience. For instance, LeAnne altering Amarillo By Morning to “Made it to Yoakum by morning” and Jo-El answering back with “Flat broke by a quarter ‘til three…” Sounds about right!

Speaking of classics, Wednesday (July 30th), was Doug’s birthday. Hedy took the mic for just a minute to make a heartfelt but characteristically humorous dedication to their Daddy.

“Dad liked to party,” she said. “He would’ve loved this – especially a room full of rigged-up women! He would’ve been 85 today, but he ran way too hard to make it to 85 and he knew that. But these kind of songs that Jo-El and LeAnne are so good at, those were the soundtrack to our childhood. This kind of music was always on the radio on our road trips or riding out the barns, and it will always remind me of Daddy. So, this one’s for you, Dad – happy birthday.” Naturally, the whole room raised their glass and toasted to Doug, and the Ulmers treated us to a rendition of one of his favorites, “That’s The Way Love Goes” by Merle Haggard, as the sisters and their cousin Scotty swayed along on the dance floor.

The design team did a phenomenal job with the décor, making the whole room feel like a classic country summer day with darling denim table cloths and lively sunflower centerpieces, and a charming photobooth setup that mimicked an old-timey wooden fence hung with saddles and chaps – which, by the way, we learned (a little too late) were only for looks and certainly not for riding or even leaning against! We were treated to some mighty fine barbecue from S & J Catering, finished with some delicious cobbler for dessert. And, of course, we’d be remiss not to shoutout our darling duo of bartenders from K&K Bartending!

THURSDAY, DAY 2:

This is when things really kicked into high gear and it became evident that this Meetup was going to be unlike any other. For starters, we added a whole new feature this year – an optional “add on” ticket for Breakfast with the McMullens on Thursday and Friday mornings, a little eat-and-educate session with a different topic for each day. The space (and thus, the seating) was quite limited, but the demand was SO high, we ended up splitting into two sessions so that more people could have the opportunity to attend.

Thursday’s sessions focused on styling, with a presentation and Q&A by Cheryl and Claire. Guests ascended the stairs and were greeting with their choice of a mimosa or bloody mary (or water or OJ, of course) and some light breakfast bites, and then settled in with a provided pen and dedicated note-taking sheet as Cheryl and Claire shared their infinite wisdom and signature senses of humor as they talked attendees through a bevy of questions and concerns about things like how to wear and pair barrel jeans, avoiding the temptation to chase every trend, and what’s coming down the pipeline in terms of styles they’ll see soon. They also revealed the new styling hacks that blew their mind and even gave a few away! We’ll publish a comprehensive recap to the blog in coming weeks (so keep your eye on those Double Dose emails!), but the resounding takeaway was this:

Fashion is fun – that’s why we’re all here. Wear what you like, enjoy what you wear, and try not to question your own confidence. As Claire put it, “Commit to it and you can’t go wrong! If you find yourself feeling uncertain about an item or outfit, just ask yourself, ‘What’s the worst that’s gonna happen?’ I mean, truly. If I make it out the front door in something, I’m committed to being confident in it the rest of the day.”

That afternoon, we scurried everyone over to the Grand Theater for our matinee movie. And we do mean just about everyone – for the first year ever, we had to move to the main theater because we’d outgrown the secondary side one! Hard to say whether we just had a crew full of movie lovers this year or if Electric Horseman is just really that good. Perhaps it was the promise of a young Robert Redford as the leading man that filled the seats – we’ll never know. (We do know that Paige Westfall and Julie Archer sure added a little electric ambiance to the theatre in their light-up cowboy hats, though!) Now, if you’ve been before, you know that on movie day, DDR covers the concessions so you can snack and sip to your heart’s content. Well, this year, as the movie began to play, Mitchell stepped into the lobby to settle up our tab. A moment later, he returned to the theater and the movie screen froze, not out of error, but so that Mitchell could share with the audience that the owner of the theater, Tammy Steinmann, had generously insisted that instead of paying the tab, we donated that amount to the fund benefitting Kristen Schley’s boys. Talk about a tear-jerker. The generosity of the people in our lives – and this town – will never cease to amaze us.

Thursday evening, however, the tone shifted from sentimental to straight-up shenanigans at BINGO night! The guests sauntered into The Gin that was beautifully outfitted with gorgeous sage green table cloths and vibrant floral centerpieces with a special custom deck of DDR playing cards and a shiny silver confetti canon at each seat (yes, that’s nearly 200 confetti cannons… this will come into play in a minute). Everyone filled up on a fan-favorite, Ventura’s, who served a feast of fajitas, enchilada casserole, rice, beans, and all the accoutrements, including (as a few locals vowed), “the best chips ever”. Once the meal was over, place settings were replaced with BINGO cards, our emcee Mitchell took the mic, and the (controlled) chaos commenced! He started by announcing some exciting upcoming events, namely that we will finally be in Vegas at Cowboy Christmas this year (and much of December), that we are teaming up with the Women of the National Western for an exquisite fashion show in Denver on September 17th, and that our particular brand of BINGO will once again be raising money in Round Top on October 4th. (So mark your calendars for all of that!) And then we got those BINGO balls rollin’!

Now, we’ve long said, “this ain’t your grandmomma’s bingo!” and this year we amped it up even more than ever! Each participant received 10 different cards, which meant 10 games and 10 chances to win (with additional packs available for $100 if you wanted to double your luck). Mitchell did a little number-calling-and-comedy combo, as he’s wont to do, and instructed the audience that rather than simply shout “BINGO!”, they were to go ahead and explode their confetti cannon – which was a really fun (and extraordinarily messy) twist on the game! But that’s not where the twists stopped – oh, no no no, friends! In addition to simply winning the round, the prize picking became a whole game in itself, complete with some swapping and stealing! The first winner would select a suitcase and open it to reveal a prize inside, and then every subsequent winner would have the option to either open a suitcase of their own or steal a prize that had already been opened – you know how it goes. Well, y’all, this got good and downright dirty because these prizes were TOP NOTCH – think, Oscar Betz earrings, Mummy’s Bundle necklaces, and even the Tiffany Vest from our Silver Label. We’ve got a congenial group of gals, but all bets are off when it comes to gifts this good! As you might imagine, it led to lots of belly laughing and plenty of pretend pouting, but in the end, 10 lucky ladies went home big winners. And, for those who didn’t win a round, we did a synchronized unleashing of the remaining confetti cannons which led to a beautiful explosion of sparkling silver bits that we’ll likely be finding in our bras and purses and stuck to table linens for years to come! Absolutely unforgettable.

FRIDAY, DAY 3:

Well, we thought we might’ve worn y’all out with all the excitement the night before, but you gals were right back at it by 8 a.m. – bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and beautifully dolled up in the day’s DDR! While some stuck around the store scoping out the deals and steals they might’ve overlooked the day before, the lucky ladies who scored a spot at the ‘Breakfast with the McMullens’ makeup tutorial filed upstairs for some morning sips and snacks and a full-face demonstration by our longtime (like, since practically day one of DDR) hair and makeup guru, Lisa Martensen. It. Was. Outstanding. In the 8:00 session, Hedy was the model, and any time you get Hedy in front of a crowd, it’s guaranteed to be a good time – it was makeup class with a side of comedy. Lisa walked through every step, from moisturizer to primer to eyes, lips, and how to get her signature brows, sharing every pro tip and product pick for various skin types and complexions, and spilling the secrets for maturing skin and making your face appear more youthful without “chasing young”. The 9:30 session came with a little comedy of its own, as Cheryl hurriedly stomped up the stairs, loudly proclaiming, “Y’all, they did me dirty! They did me so dirty – my sisters LEFT me! And they forgot to send somebody to come get me!” To which, Audrey sheepishly raised her hand and confessed, “Ok, this one was my bad – I did forget to get her. But she’ll get over it.” Cheryl laughed and said, “I will, but first, I need some tea.” Audrey dutifully delivered and then dramatically held Cheryl’s head and guided the straw to her mouth like a good little servant—I mean, sister! (Y’all, if you’re still undecided about attending an Addiction Meetup, getting a front row seat to the sisters’ dynamic is reason alone to make the trip!) Anyway, our attendees were all incredible, attentive, and inquisitive, jotting notes just as fast as they could write! Again, we will publish a comprehensive recap in a couple of weeks, providing all Lisa’s tips, tricks, and the products that she mentioned in both sessions.

Meanwhile, in the showroom, it was bustling business as usual (for an Addiction day), as dozens of women, spouses, and even some dapper dogs (looking at you, Dogma and Rosie!) meandered through the Mothership in search of irresistible deals, once-in-a-lifetime finds, or that one perfect piece of jewelry that will forever commemorate this trip. Everyone paused at some point to enjoy their Pecan House Café catered lunch box and a cookie or two, and then somewhere in the mid to late afternoon, the bustling waned as everyone headed “home” to get rigged up for a night that nobody saw coming!

How can we even begin to find words for Friday night? Let’s just say, on a scale of 1-10, we definitely cranked it up to 11! Everything kicked off according to plan. The Gin was gorgeous once again, elevating the elegance to a new level with cowhide throws draped over silver cloths, silver chargers at each seat adorned with signature Stockyard printed linens and dimensional star napkin rings. Our resident rodeo queen (and, come to find out, birthday girl!) Kennadee Riggs greeted guests upon arrival with quick kitschy interview questions and outfit appraisal for “LIVE on the Turquoise Carpet!” before they made their way to the bar for a signature cocktail styled after each McMullen lady – a French 75 for Hedy (beautiful and strong with a bit of a kick), prosecco for Audrey (timeless and sophisticated with a sweet effervescence), a gin & tonic for Cheryl (refreshingly brisk and always in style), and a Bloody Mary for Margie (classic hearty goodness you can enjoy all day). Dinner was once again knocked out the park by Jack Matusek, his Sous Chef, Rudy Rivera III, and his entire team at Raw Republic; delectable passed apps as people mingled, a fresh summer salad to start, a mouthwatering main course of slow-roasted beef tenderloin and twice-baked potato on a truffle cauliflower puree, and a decadent Basque cheesecake with raspberry coulis for dessert. Let’s just say, there were a lot of cleared plates. [Truly, huge kudos to Jack who, after “making potatoes since 8am” and “cooking beef at a billion degrees”, always (semi-seriously) swears he's “not doing it next year!”, but thankfully keeps coming back, even as the numbers continue to grow.] Now, after describing that meal, you might think that was the highlight of the whole night – and while it was A highlight – there was still so much left in store.

Naturally, as dinner wound down, Mitchell took hold of the mic and weaved among the tables doing a little crowd work, calling out some familiar faces and introducing a few first-timers, which mostly resulted in lots of laughs, but briefly turned to tears and a standing ovation as this remarkable group of folks stood in celebration and support of two Addicts who are currently bravely battling cancer and made it a mission to make it here this year. If that doesn’t paint a picture of the soul of this sisterhood, not sure what will. When he handed over the mic to the sisters, they shared a heartfelt message about how much this entire Wolf Pack means to them, and how when Cheryl’s struggling with self-doubt about this being her life’s purpose – “Does the world need another jacket?” – Audrey reminds her in her warm-yet-wise way, “Cheryl, it’s not really about the jackets. It’s about the people in them.” And it is. The clothing may be the conduit, but perhaps her life’s purpose was putting all these remarkable people in each other’s orbit.

As we do every year, we administered some awards. Best Dressed Dog went to Dogma, who showed up every day in a mini cowboy hat and bandana. Farthest Traveled went to our internation cowgirl, Lori Grair, who trekked down to Texas all the way from British Colombia. Oddest Mode of Transportation went to Julie Archer and Paige Westfall (yes, the light-up cowboy hat gals) who RVed it down here and then motored around town on electric bikes all week. Believe it or not, the reigning Queen of Turquoise, Alice Fisher, was unseated this year by first-time attendee – and a guy at that – Garren “Turquoise King” Still! And, the always fun fashion show in search of the Oldest Vintage resulted in a tie this year, between Diana Bordelon and Heather Burch, who both donned pieces from our first EVER spring collection.

And then… well, THEN things really turned up a notch or five! Y’all, DJ Damon is unlike anything you’ve ever seen in your life – if you’re in the market for an event DJ, we cannot recommend him enough. He kicked things off with a singalong rendition of Dolly’s “9 to 5” which immediately got all the gals amped up and on to the dancefloor, and he just kept the hits coming all night long. We formed what was probably the longest conga line in the history of Yoakum, we got “low low low low”, we danced on shoulders, we karaoke’ed to all kinds of early 2000s jams, we formed a dance circle. We all sang a traditional Happy Birthday to Nana and Kennadee, and then all shrieked with delight when it transitioned to 50 Cent’s birthday song and Nana never missed a beat! Then, the mini bottles of Fireball came out – very unsure whose idea THAT was, but you kind of can’t listen to the Fireball song (by Pitbull), without drinking some, it’s bad luck (probably). Even the sisters partook, which was met with tremendous cheers and applause. Because here’s the thing, everyone knows how hard the McMullens work, around the clock, and everything they do is either for their family, the company, or the customers; they don’t let loose very often, so when they do, and we get to witness it, it’s as much a treat for us as it is for them. We kept the tunes cranking and the dance floor full until just after 10 p.m. when we capped it off with our anthem, “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge, because that’s truly how we see the Wolf Pack, and by the final night of the Addiction Meetup, you can’t help but feel some level of kinship to every single person in that room.

We ate and we drank. We laughed and we cried. We sang until our voices were hoarse, and we danced until our feet hurt, and we sweated until our hair stuck to the nape of our neck. And then we went home with full bellies and even fuller hearts.

SATURDAY, THE FINAL DAY:

As you might imagine, we all rolled into Saturday morning a wee bit later and a little worse for the wear, but still in the best of spirits. If you thought that the shopping was over by now, you were big wrong! Saturday is what we call do-or-die day, where the folks have been on the fence about purchasing a piece all week have to decide whether to pull the trigger or put it back. Good rule of thumb: If it’s still on your list after three days, you definitely need it. Like we always say, non-buyer’s remorse is worse than buyer’s remorse! (Quick shoutout to another darling duo of dressed-up dogs that graced the showroom Saturday – Wilbur the bulldog and his Frenchie sister, Eloise. What a delightful dose of dopamine!) At 11 a.m., we gathered in the new building for a message from Mitchell and the McMullens, a prayer, and a toast to another unbelievable week with the most remarkable people we know, celebrating what makes this bond so strong and so much different than any other, and cheers-ing with Vickie’s world-famous punch. And then, of course, we herd everyone like feral cats out on to the sidewalk for the annual group photo, but this year, we added a little tug-at-the-heartstrings twist. With our wonderful Wolf Pack behind us, we were able to pose with a giant check for $160,000 that YOU ALL helped us raise via scarf sales that we’re sending to aid in the flood relief efforts in the Hill Country, earmarked to go toward sustaining and rebuilding faith-based camps. Just wow.

“We prayed we could send them ten grand,” Cheryl said. “We really should’ve known our people would show up stronger than we ever imagined. It’s $160,000 and counting, by the way – we will keep selling them and Hedy says we can keep making them as long as there is interest.” [Side note: The scarves that y’all pre-ordered should be here in a couple weeks.]

So that’s it, that’s a wrap! We truly could wax poetic for 4,000 MORE words about how much you all mean to us, how you’re the reason behind everything we do and we couldn’t be what we are without y’all, and how much y’all make all the hard work worth it, year after year… but hopefully y’all know all that, and uh, we’re tired.

Wait, one more thing: if you see any member of the DDR team, please give them a high five, an enormous pat on the back, and maybe a serious foot rub! We cannot praise them enough for their efforts this week – and all the months leading up. This event is unbelievably rewarding, but it sure takes a toll. We ask a LOT of our employees for the Meetup every year – early mornings, late nights, and juggling new duties on top of their everyday responsibilities – and time after time, they rise to the challenge. Our vision seems to get bigger and grander every year, and yet they consistently execute the impossible – and make it look easy! We are truly blessed with the best.