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Our Future Hat Store in Custer, SD?

thefedorastore

A-List Customer
Messages
421
Location
Prosser, WA til fall
Well, it's time, and Liz and I are off next weekend to view the Historic LeRoy Hotel in Custer, SD so ensure it suits our needs for the move next year of HatsAmerica and TheFedoraStore.com. We need more room for more inventory, and this will be one heck of a hat store and mail order headquarters close to family and the wilderness. If it looks good, it's time to make an offer. It's nice because it's has four rentable cottages along with the hotel rooms. Plenty of room for travelers who can visit Rushmore, Crazy Horse, all of the Black Hills, and of course our hat store. Also, my brother owns and operates the Bumpin' Buffalo restaurant in Hill City.
http://www.bumpinbuffalollc.com

219_image1.jpg


The building was built in the early 1890's by a pair of
gentlemen by the names of Charles Sager and William Krause. The
two men came from the Chicago area at the time when gold was
first discovered in the Black Hills. They formed a friendship with a
local merchant who helped them start a Seed & Flour store in the
building. The store operated until the deaths of Charles in 1901 and
Bill in 1906. From 1906 until 1913 the Westinghouse Mining Co.,
which operated out of the New York Mica mine, acquired the building
to be used as a splitting, grading, and shipping facility. Large
wooden tables stretched the interior length of the building with
workers selecting top grades of mica for shipment. It is written in
the Custer County History book that Mr. Westinghouse himself
came out to inspect and look things over.
In 1915, the local schoolhouse was deemed not worthy of occupancy
so the most of the classes were held in the pre-hotel building.
In fact, the Custer Class of 1916 graduated from the hotel
building.
In the late teen's, two gentlemen (Leland Willis & Roy Metcalf)
from the Westinghouse Mining Company decided to convert the
building into the LeRoy Hotel. They would host local traveling businessmen
as well as the increasing tourists. The LeRoy Hotel was
operated up until the 1960's when it was turned into apartment
units.
The sign of the "Old LeRoy Hotel", as the locals call it, was painted
over several times throughout its history but in a sandblasting effort
in the mid-1990's the faint original hotel sign was present. The
sign was reconditioned and rekindled a spirit of the hotel wanting
to return. In 1999, the hotel rooms had been modified several times due to plumbing fixture improvements, separate bathrooms-per-room additions, and general re-sizing due to expectations of travelers. We offer the remodeled
larger rooms, each styled in an era of the operation of the
Hotel. The bathroom fixtures are modern whirlpools for maximum
guest comfort. Original style sink-faucets, and furnishings were installed
to remind the guests of what the rooms might have been
like during each period.

Thanks for the support of many loungers which of course is helping make this possible.

Duane
 
Messages
10,929
Location
My mother's basement
It's a natural, Duane. People love to have little somethings to remind them of their journeys, and a hat (a Western hat in particular) would be just the thing to take home from a trip to the Black Hills. And it's as good a place as any (and better than most, I'd think) to base the "virtual" store.
The Boss Lady and I passed a bit of time in the region this past August, on our way to and from my native Wisconsin. It was great, as usual, even with all the smoke blowing in from those fires in Montana. I just love it there. Should you go ahead with the move, I'll certainly make point of stopping by the next time through.
 

Razzman

One Too Many
Messages
1,357
Location
South of Boston
Wishing you all the best Daune! Looks like a great old place, lots of character and history with that building. Good Luck. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
 

Pilgrim

One Too Many
Messages
1,719
Location
Fort Collins, CO
I think this is great! You'll have products with a strong heritage sold in a store with a great history - and I suspect the Internet sales will be the foundation of the business. Best of luck!
 

Art Fawcett

Sponsoring Affiliate
Messages
3,717
Location
Central Point, Or.
WOW!!! Could be a great move Duane, I wish you the best.

Isn't the internet fabulous? It lets us do what we want, where we want, when we want, all without the burden of HAVING to be tied to a location. In my last career I had to be where the people that could afford my services lived ( where the money was) in order to ply my trade. Now? ...the internet makes it possible to be anywhere and still reach the people interested. Too cool...
 

DOUGLAS

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,777
Location
NYC
The best of luck Duane. It looks like like you're in for an adventure:)
 

carter

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,921
Location
Corsicana, TX
Duane,
The missus and you are relocating to a part of the US that I've often thought of visiting but never made the trip. This could be just the impetus needed for such a journey,
Best wishes for a good outcome and a successful relocation.
Carter
 

hatflick1

Practically Family
Messages
623
Great site! It just screams for a Red Man Chewing Tobacco ad covering one entire wall. Maybe some Burma Shave signs leading up to it along the highway.
Good luck!
 

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