Inside the Sage & Silver Americana store in downtown Rapid City, South Dakota. Photo from Facebook
Native American Sage & Silver open in downtown Rapid City
By Richie Richards
Native Sun News Staff Writer RAPID CITY –– A majority of the stores in historical downtown Rapid City are traditionally owned by non-Native American business owners. Recently, a local family recognized the need for a business to compliment the shops in the area who retail in Native American items and art. Opened on October 10, Sage & Silver Americana (S&S) is a locally owned, Native American business located in the heart of downtown Rapid City. Sage & Silver co-owner Lauren Good Day Giago opened the shop, along with her sister Vanessa Frank and mother Deborah Painte, with the intent of providing quality western clothing along with a venue to display contemporary Native American art work. Good Day Giago (Arikara Hidatsa) is a graduate of the Institute of the American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, N.M. (2013) with a degree in Indigenous Liberal Studies and an artist featured in the Smithsonian Institute, Santa Fe Indian Art Market and Heard Museum in Phoenix. First Lady, Michelle Obama has pieces of Lauren’s work in her personal collection as well. Her work is currently available in the Good Day Giago Gallery, located near the front of the store. This half-gallery, half-boutique has a modern feel and a hip ambiance; in contrast to the traditionally staged Native American displays in the Black Hills and surrounding areas. Often, visitors and tourists want to capture and experience the “wild west” on their vacations and local shop owners facilitate those needs. Sage & Silver, in contrast, is a distinct representation of our lives today. As Good Day Giago grew up in a family of ranchers on the Ft. Berthold Reservation near Newtown N.D., Sage & Silver is a unique blend of western cowboy and iconic Native American clothing and jewelry. As the buyer for the company, Lauren’s personal taste and style is present throughout the store. Lauren is a strong, independent and proud Native American woman who wishes to share her culture and traditions in a contemporary and modern setting. Sage & Silver is a boost for the local economy providing services to a modern western audience while incorporating traditional Native American storytelling. This is a much needed, long overdue business to the downtown area. When asked about the future for S&S, Good Day Giago said, “We are a small business run by three proud Native American women, working together on a single vision. We hope to become one of the faces of Native American business ownership, and sharing our culture is a passion we express in our work.” Sage & Silver invites and welcomes all visitors and hopes to assist young contemporary artists who wish to share their talents. S&S plans to have a large grand opening celebration in the spring of 2015. Please visit Sage & Silver for your holiday gift ideas at 629 Main Street in Rapid City or call (605) 791-4640 for inquiries. You can find Sage & Silver Americana on Facebook and Instagram where items are available for purchase as well. They do ship! (Contact Richie Richards staffwriter@nsweekly.com) Copyright permission Native Sun News
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