A Trip to See the Pioneer Woman

Well, it was a trip here: 

Yes, that's the famous "Mercantile", the "Merc".  

The Drummonds, (Ree and Ladd, or "Marlboro Man") opened the 

Mercantile in downtown Pawhuska, OK on October 31, 2016. 

I went with Stella Rose Long's Mommy, Deb, with whom I traveled last 

summer to the BAR, and her sister and niece.  Flea, Deb's friend (and 

now mine) came to visit us on Saturday. 

Even though it was Friday afternoon by the time we walked in, there were no lines, and 

we were told fifty times in two days that it was a miracle, because they are usually "yayyy" long, as we say here. 

Friday afternoon, the second floor of the Merc was almost deserted, as you see here.  There is a place for weary people to sit and behind me was a large room with tables, and the bakery. 

Flea told us she had never seen it empty. 

There are, in fact, porta potties staged along the main street, because 

of the crowds. 

Our friend Flea lives in Tulsa, and had been over to 

Pawhuska four times, and told us that the last time 

she went, a few weeks ago... there was a 3 1/2 hour wait to eat. 

We were living right, because we walked back over on Friday evening, and 

walked in and were seated immediately!  

I need to warn you that the portions are huge. 

The front of the menu. 

I foolishly ordered chips and queso dip, and could not take it, it 

was huge and I had to send it back. 

When they say "hearty", they mean it!  

We had a good dinner, and had eaten earlier at Grill 125, I tell you this 

because there are few places to eat in the downtown area. 

Here let me make a statement.  

Downtown Pawhuska is depressed, just like every other downtown of 

every rural town in the heartland.  

In about a year or two, it is going to be ROARING. 

The triangle-shaped building across from the Merc is gutted and 

being worked on, and several nice boutiques were open 

along Kihekah. 

There are many, many closed storefronts, but... there are also a number being 

refurbished right now.  

There are some flea markets open, and yes, we flea'd. 

We stayed here: 

I took that about 8 PM, between the raindrops, because it stormed ALL WEEKEND. 

The Whiting Bed and Bath Hotel was actually about 26 units that were rented to oil field workers as efficiency apartments.   They had a bed-sit, small kitchen, bathroom, and storage room. 

When the Merc was going to open, the Easley's, the owners, were asked to provide some hotel rooms for prospective visitors.  

The two end units are overnight rentals now, with six units in each. 

The rooms have themes, and ours was "The American Room". 

The cupboard was stocked with coffee. 

There was a small refrigerator, and a small stove. 

(apartment size) 

You MUST request a room with a shower if you want one, because some do not have them. 

Also... you must go up 23 steps from the street level to get to your rooms. 

The steps are narrow, and hard to go up and down.  People who have trouble walking 

and people with handicaps should probably not stay there.  Access is from the rear, up an unpaved driveway into narrow parking.  

You must cross this little bridge to get to your rooms. 

However... this is the only place to stay within walking distance. 

There are several bed and breakfasts... they are farther up the bluff from here, and you would have to drive back and forth.  Because the bluff, she is high. 

That's the county courthouse way up there. 

Closest nice hotel rooms (and I am NOT knocking the Whiting, because we loved being able to walk back and forth) are in Tulsa and Bartlesville.  

There are boutiques along Kihekah. 

This was one of the nicer ones. 

Many are still in the process of being constructed. 

Grill 125, where we ate lunch around the corner from the Merc entrance. The food was good. 

Huge order of chip and dip!  

More tomorrow, I realize I have a lot more pictures!