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The Cedar Chest Shop moves back to former Pawhuska location

An Osage-owned dance clothing and gift shop is moving back to its old location in Pawhuska after a roof repair accident occurred at the now-former store, prompting a closure for environmental concerns.

The Cedar Chest Shop is moving to 134 E. 6th St. with a scheduled March 7 opening event from noon to 6 p.m. The shop is known for selling custom-made Osage dance clothing, jewelry and gift shop items. As part of the move, the shop’s co-owners are also using the space to open The Water Bird Gallery where it will also sell art pieces including paintings.

Despite the unexpected relocation, co-owners Julie O’Keefe and Danette Daniels expressed their gratitude for the well wishes they received following the shop closure. “From disasters great things can happen! We have had tremendous love and support from friends and family,” Daniels said in a February Facebook posting announcing The Cedar Chest relocation to its old store spot across the street from the Pawhuska Post Office.

The move comes after the former store location at 521 Kihekah Ave. closed Feb. 3 when a roof repair job conducted by the building landlord took a turn for the worst, according to O’Keefe. That day, workers were pulling the old roof off the two-story building when a 24-foot drainage pipe came loose and ended up falling through the ceiling panel into the store, resulting in dust and debris to fall through.

At the time of the incident, shop worker John Parker was inside and the falling pipe missed him by two feet, O’Keefe said recalling Parker’s phone call to her while she was in Ponca City at the time. The shop was closed after it was discovered the falling debris included asbestos. Now O’Keefe is in talks with the building owners and her insurance company to handle the mess, which will require professional abatement cleanup.

“We’re thankful it did not injure anyone, now I’m educating myself on abatement,” O’Keefe said. All Cedar Chest merchandise on display at the former store remained in its location, as it was the day of the incident.    

Many store items displayed in the open were exposed to the dust and asbestos elements and cannot be cleaned, O’Keefe said, adding she is hoping to recover items that can be cleaned or were encased in glass displays. With the store closure, O’Keefe and Daniels brainstormed their next steps, which included the idea to open an art gallery after visiting with other business contacts.

Despite no store for a month, O’Keefe and Daniels have continued to collect and make merchandise and clothing items, which they’ve sold in temporary store stands as well as online thanks to social media.

The Cedar Chest Shop and The Water Bird Gallery each have their own Facebook pages featuring photos of merchandise and artworks available for sale. Items for sale include embroidered shawls, beaded leather bags, Pendleton blankets, broadcloth skirts, and framed artwork by Loren and Paul Pahsetopah. For more information and to inquire about merchandise, The Cedar Chest and The Water Bird Gallery can be reached at (918) 287-9129.


By

Benny Polacca


Original Publish Date: 2015-03-05 00:00:00

Author

  • Benny Polacca

    Title: Senior Reporter

    Email: bpolacca@osagenation-nsn.gov

    Instagram: @bpolacca

    Topic Expertise: Government, Tribal Government, Community

    Languages spoken: English, basic knowledge of Spanish and French

    Benny Polacca (Hopi/ Havasupai/ Pima/ Tohono O’odham) started working at the Osage News in 2009 as a reporter in Pawhuska, Okla., where he’s covered various stories and events that impact the Osage Nation and Osage people. Those newspaper contributions cover a broad spectrum of topics and issues from tribal government matters to features. As a result, Polacca has gained an immeasurable amount of experience in covering Native American affairs, government issues and features so the Osage readership can be better informed about the tribal current affairs the newspaper covers.

    Polacca is part of the Osage News team that was awarded the Native American Journalists Association's Elias Boudinet Free Press Award in 2014 and has won numerous NAJA media awards, as well as awards from the Oklahoma Press Association and SPJ Oklahoma Pro Chapter, for storytelling coverage and photography.

    Polacca earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and also participated in the former American Indian Journalism Institute at the University of South Dakota where he was introduced to the basics of journalism and worked with seasoned journalists there and later at The Forum daily newspaper covering the Fargo, N.D. area where he worked as the weeknight reporter.

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Benny Polacca
Benny Polaccahttps://osagenews.org

Title: Senior Reporter

Email: bpolacca@osagenation-nsn.gov

Instagram: @bpolacca

Topic Expertise: Government, Tribal Government, Community

Languages spoken: English, basic knowledge of Spanish and French

Benny Polacca (Hopi/ Havasupai/ Pima/ Tohono O’odham) started working at the Osage News in 2009 as a reporter in Pawhuska, Okla., where he’s covered various stories and events that impact the Osage Nation and Osage people. Those newspaper contributions cover a broad spectrum of topics and issues from tribal government matters to features. As a result, Polacca has gained an immeasurable amount of experience in covering Native American affairs, government issues and features so the Osage readership can be better informed about the tribal current affairs the newspaper covers.

Polacca is part of the Osage News team that was awarded the Native American Journalists Association's Elias Boudinet Free Press Award in 2014 and has won numerous NAJA media awards, as well as awards from the Oklahoma Press Association and SPJ Oklahoma Pro Chapter, for storytelling coverage and photography.

Polacca earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and also participated in the former American Indian Journalism Institute at the University of South Dakota where he was introduced to the basics of journalism and worked with seasoned journalists there and later at The Forum daily newspaper covering the Fargo, N.D. area where he worked as the weeknight reporter.

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