Support local all year long!
Women’s History Month may be coming to an end, but opportunities to support women-owned businesses exist all year long. Adventure Road features many, from shops to dining to spa services, and this is your guide. Where will you go first?
Pie Junkie
View Destination
Owners Darcy Schein and Leslie Coale-Mossman began cooking together in 2010, catering and teaching cooking classes out of a rented church kitchen. Baking fresh pies for OKC restaurants grew their word-of-mouth business exponentially, and the women shifted their business to focus solely on pies, renaming the company Pie Junkie in 2011. The vibrant Plaza District has been the pie shop’s permanent home since 2013. Both Darcy and Leslie grew up in families that value the kitchen table and the connection family recipes can bring. Both women honor the traditional recipes they were taught by their grandmothers while working to stay innovative by developing original recipes like their famous Drunken Turtle and Bird Dog Buttermilk pies. You’ve likely seen it in People Magazine, Vogue, Travel + Leisure, USA Today or Buzzfeed. No wonder this small, 1,000-square-foot kitchen sells over 100,000 slices of pie each year!
udånder
View Destination
Meaning “exhale” in Danish, udånder brings a steam and sauna spa that is simple in design and serves as an all-day retreat, the first concept of its kind for OKC. Inspired by Scandinavia, guests will notice simple white chairs, a lounge area for reading and relaxing and a food menu. The experience itself is custom-tailored just for you! There are even separate scheduling times for men and women to ensure maximum comfort.
The Rusty Nail Winery and Tasting Room
View Destination
The Rusty Nail Winery is family-owned and female-led, with mother Debbie and daughters Melissa and Leah at the helm. Debbie began making wines as a hobby and passion project, but it didn’t take long for friends and family to request her wines. The name “Rusty Nail” is in honor of the heritage of the historic building this winery and tasting room calls home. Upon moving to downtown Sulphur in 2010, the tenants were surprised to find buckets of rusty nails in the far corners of the space. The discovery sparked an investigation that revealed the building was originally constructed in 1906, once home to a hardware store. The building, now listed on Oklahoma’s National Register of Historic Places, is older than the state!
Plenty Mercantile
View Destination
In 2011, co-founders Brittney Matlock and Traci Walton noticed a gap in the marketplace for thoughtfully made, cost-effective lifestyle goods and gifts, all in one place. Plenty Mercantile exists to instill confidence that your dollars are directly supporting people making wise choices in the fabrication or impact of their material goods. As champions for sustainability and hospitality, Plenty has self-imposed purchasing principles, which funnel every dollar spent at the store toward good. Here, cents meet good sense.
The Vault Art Space and Gathering Place
View Destination
Owner Susie Agee’s family has a history of making and appreciating visual art, dating back to the 1930s, when her immigrant great-grandparents painted murals in downtown Tulsa homes. Located in Pauls Valley, traces of the building’s early 1900s roots can still be seen through the original vault door. Ceiling tiles, brick, stucco and markings on the antique floor propel this venue’s historic nature. Stop by and see the latest exhibition on display!
The Mix Mercantile
View Destination
The Mix Mercantile was created in June 2012 by Yevon Bolles and Christy Morris, a mother-daughter team from small-town Oklahoma. Located in a completely renovated former hardware store in downtown Sulphur, the store offers a little bit of something for everyone including women’s clothing and accessories, home décor, children’s clothing, Amish foods and Arbuckle Mountain Fudge made in-store.
The Black Scintilla
View Destination
An Oklahoma native with degrees in marketing management, interior design and art history, Rachael Gruntmeir is the owner and creative force behind Midtown’s The Black Scintilla. Offering size-inclusive men’s, women’s and kids’ clothing, accessories, playful pet-themed items and a rainbow of gifts, The Black Scintilla has merchandise you won’t find anywhere else locally due to Gruntmeir’s buying trips to L.A. markets. While inside the store, visitors will be met with friendly hospitality, convenience and an unforgettable shopping experience.
STASH
View Destination
What sets Norman’s one-of-a-kind boutique apart from national chains? Owners Rebecca Bean and Della Patterson care. “About the environment, about the people who make the products, about the products themselves and about the person who will receive or purchase the item. We care about design, price, quality, durability and uniqueness,” Bean shares in an interview with Keep It Local. With sustainability at the core, STASH offers well-made housewares, gifts, accessories, vintage finds and collaborations with local artists. You won’t find anywhere like it!
Ardmore Emporium
View Destination
Owner Stephanie Choate offers a personalized shopping experience that sets Ardmore Emporium apart from the pack. Come here to browse quality antiques, collectibles, art, home furnishings and more. In an interview with KTEN, Choate says, “Each of the vendors have their own little style, and you can see it in their spaces and the items they sell. You’re not going to find anything like that in big box stores."
Submit your comment
What are some of your favorite women-owned businesses?