Prairie Sky Jewelry Co Breaks Ground On New Building

Prairie Sky Jewelry Co has been nestled in a small space in downtown Pawhuska, OK, since October of 2020, but is now beginning renovations on their intended permanent space. Purchased in the summer of 2021, the "new" location is a 1953-built service station that has sat empty & fallen into disrepair over the past few decades. This building is located at 719 Lynn Avenue, just a few blocks from the current studio space at 715 Kihekah Avenue in Pawhuska, OK. The building will require a great amount of work, including new windows, new plumbing, new HVAC systems, and a complete interior remodel. 

Initial renovations consist of all-new plumbing and sewer lines, as well as the addition of an ADA-compliant restroom. Resolutions for the roof leak and new natural gas lines will come soon after. This project is set to last through the summer, with a hopeful opening date at the beginning of 2023. The 'new' space will feature a showroom, studio space, offices, and a small photography studio for Prairie Sky. 

From owner + lead silversmith Kenyon Lomax, "I'm so looking forward to renovating this space, sharing the process with our social media followers, and eventually welcoming our wonderful customers in to the new showroom. The natural light in this building is incredible, we'll have a gorgeous back yard for events, and I'm hoping we'll be able to offer limited studio tours as well. I think this space is going to be really special for us and I am just overwhelmingly thankful to have the opportunity to further invest in my community. The number of people sinking their hearts into the older buildings in Pawhuska is inspiring, and I'm proud to be in their ranks. I am hopeful we can continue to inspire others to work hard for their dreams and to really engage in their communities in whatever way they can. Renovating our first studio space on Kihekah was such a rewarding process - I can't wait to do it with a building we own. 

I am hopeful people will be understanding as we work on this project at our own pace - we do still handcraft all our jewelry ourselves and you've got to sell the jewelry to fund the renovations. We'll be doing a lot of back-and-forth as we work on the space and it can be frustrating when people just want to know when you'll be done. I've built a home and renovated one studio already in the public eye, and it does have a tendency to make you feel rushed and as though you're working under pressure. I'm determined to fully enjoy the process this time, and am hopeful I can help alter some of the mindset around renovating property. It doesn't have to be a big rush - it can be a process that you truly enjoy and take your time on. I guess that's really the same mindset I carry with our jewelry, so it makes sense that I'd feel this way about my other work, too."