Southwest Trading Company opens on Route 66

Written By: Lani Hansen

(TULSA, Okla.) A father and daughter opened up a local shop selling Native American made and handmade items on historic Route 66 in Tulsa.

Read this story on Mvskoke Media here.

David Bible (Muscogee (Creek)/Hopi) and daughter Ashley Bible started their own business over eight years ago as a vendor at powwows and other events.

The Bible family comes from Broken Arrow ceremonial ground and are of the Bird Clan. On their Hopi side they come from the Coyote Clan. David’s mother is Hopi from northeastern Arizona.

The name of David and Ashley’s store is called Southwest Trading Company.

“We’ve named this Southwest Trading Company, because we really love the southwest Pueblo jewelry, pottery, designs and styles,” David said. “We also try to incorporate our tribes within the 39 tribes of Oklahoma and try to carry some of their designs, skirts and bead work to incorporate Oklahoma’s history.”

STORY CODE: ROUTE66

After eight years of doing outside business, a few customers gave the idea to David and his daughter to get a brick-and-mortar store. They started their next chapter in finding a space to open a store until the COVID pandemic started, so their search came to a pause.

In 2021, they met with a man who knew of the place where the store is currently located at now.

“We are in the Meadow Gold District of Route 66, and the community has been really welcoming,” David said. “The community that lives here, they remember the Indian stores of the past. So they come in and see what we have.”

Many of their items are handmade from Hopi artists from New Mexico and Arizona area. They also bring in work from local artists representing tribes from the Osage, Pawnee, Muscogee (Creek) and Absentee Shawnee. David said they do consignment and buyout items.

Along with the store opening, the Bibles want to venture out to online marketing but looks to be a long-term plan. They do have Facebook for customers to check out or to make orders.

“We do inform people to watch our Facebook page for specials we might be having,” David said. “We always have new products coming in, so our store changes all the time and we ask people to come back every week or watch our Facebook.”

David said if it were not for Pauline Tsosie their business would not be where it is today.

“She was getting too busy to handle selling blankets and such at powwows, and asked if we wanted to try,” he said. “So eight years ago we started out at a small powwow in Stilwell and ended up growing from there.”

With the opening of the store, David is thankful to have the help of his daughter Ashley and granddaughter Marley who they call the mini CEO.

Southwest Trading Company is located on the Peoria side of 1306 E. 11th St, Tulsa, OK.

Business hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m.-6 p.m. and closed on Monday.