Bringing back the old mercantile
By Jerry W. Kram
"It will carry everything except coffee and flour."
That’s how Karen Sitting Crow described her new venture, Star Blanket Mercantile. The old fashioned mercantile sold everything you needed, including coffee and flour. She isn’t selling those yet, but store will be selling everything else from craft supplies to gift items to saddles.
Sitting Crow and her husband retired from careers in education in Bismarck after more than a decade and decided to return to their roots in New Town. They had two passions away from their jobs, horses and crafting. Sitting Crow decided to combine their passions in a new retail business in New Town.
"Native Americans bead, we sew, we dance," Sitting Crow said. "We realized that there is a need here in town for some items. We have a lot of quilters in area, and people who do beading and other crafts. Wolf’s Trading Post is no longer around to provide those items so we saw a need to provide those."
Along with fabric, beading and other craft items, Sitting Crow will also have a section devoted to horse tack – bridles, bits, and saddles. She is also bringing in a new shipment of Christmas items, including cowboy themed decorations.
Along with locally made crafts and supplies, Sitting Crow said she specializes in "Cowgirl Bling."
