New face on Main Street
By Jerry W. Kram
With the end of construction in and around New Town, many are hoping that the community will attract new businesses to the city’s refurbished Main Street. One new businesses opened its doors last week selling high quality Native American jewelry, quilts and other articles as the Great Plains Indian Trading store opened.
For owner Ryan Wilson, the store, located in the former Northern Star Gift Shop building, the storefront is a chance to settle down. Wilson has been a vendor of jewelry on the powwow trail for more than 20 years. He is originally from Pine Ridge, S.D., and his young children are enrolled members of the Three Affiliated Tribes.
"I’ve lived here, off and on, for six years," Wilson said. "I’ve been doing this quite a while. Having a store is way different. It is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I think it will allow me to focus on the quality of what I am offering."
Great Plains Indian Trading will offer a range of products but will specialize in jewelry. Wilson, the son of a silversmith, said he has more than 1,000 earrings in stock.
