Mercantile Shop A Must See

As so often happens, a viewer called Rick Wells and said "you've just got to check out this place on South Harvard." The place is the Oklahoma Mercantile and Dry Goods. The News On 6's Rick Wells reports it's crammed full of the most unusual collection of Oklahoma art and crafts.

John Dewell found the old house offered just what he was looking for.

"I said wow, you mean it could be like an old European shop where you live in it and have your work there," said Dewell.

Perfect, except he really didn't know what he was looking for until he found it. It has developed into unique art and craft shop.

"We started with five artists we are up to 38 now," said Dewell.

There is art of all kinds. In the back room there is a studio for classes like one by Yiren Gallagher

"He welds it and melds it together and makes these do-dads, and they are called Archelab 7," said Dewell.

Made of bits and pieces the artist finds in the Arkansas River. If you ask Dewell what he does, he says he makes sticks. He finds odd shaped ones and brings them home, dries them in a pile out back. Sometimes he adds stones or paint. He numbers and names each one.

"This one is titled and named ‘a river brings us home,'" said Dewell.

Saying he makes sticks is a bit of an over simplification. The Oklahoma Mercantile is on Harvard just south of 15th Street.