Walk through the door of Prairie Rose Market House and visitors will find clothing, handmade goods and home décor, antiques and even farm-fresh eggs.
Around another corner is a bright kitchen where specialty cookies and other treats are being made.
And sometimes, people walk through the door without plans to buy anything at all. They just want to visit.
For owner Desi French, that might be one of the best signs that the new business along Highway 281 in Wolsey is becoming exactly what she hoped it would be.
“It’s a space for a little bit of everything,” French said. “We wanted to create something that everyone in the community could utilize.”
Prairie Rose Market House recently opened in Wolsey’s former senior center, bringing new life to a familiar building. French purchased the building and filled it with an evolving mix of retail, locally made products, vendor spaces and activities.
Her niece, Emma Haeder, has also moved Miss Rosalie’s Sweets and Treats into the building, renting the kitchen for her growing baking business.
A little bit of everything
French rents space to area vendors selling crafts, woodworking, clothing, home décor and other goods. A recent addition is a large selection of new children’s clothing, while French has also been honing her skills with a laser cutter to create items of her own.
“Everything but the kitchen sink,” French joked. “We might have one though sometime. You never know when one might show up.”
French also hosts children’s craft activities, keeping the cost around $10 or less to make them affordable for families. She is considering additional activities as the school year begins.
A longtime paraprofessional at Wolsey-Wessington School, French will become the preschool teacher this fall.
Something sweet
In the kitchen, Haeder is finding room to grow Miss Rosalie’s Sweets and Treats. Having a dedicated kitchen with two ovens has already made a difference.
“It’s such a lifesaver to have the two,” Haeder said. “It cuts my time down so much.”
Most of her baking is currently done to order, but she hopes eventually to keep a case stocked with treats customers can stop in and purchase.
Haeder has provided desserts for showers, birthdays and other gatherings and recently completed her first wedding order. Future possibilities include grab-and-go lunches.
“It’s better than I ever could have expected for our little, small town,” Haeder said, noting customers have come from Wessington Springs, Huron and Pierre.
French and Haeder had talked for several years about finding a property where they could create something of their own. The former senior center finally provided that opportunity — and has once again become a place for people to gather.
French said some older residents who once used the building as the senior center now stop in simply to visit.
“They’re always like, ‘We’re just so glad you guys bought it, so we can come back and visit,’” she said.
Prairie Rose will host a ladies’ night Sept. 19 featuring dried flower arrangements and a dessert and wine tasting. Details will be announced on the Prairie Rose Market House Facebook page.
Hours will change when school begins, with French anticipating being closed Mondays and Tuesdays and open Wednesdays through Sundays. Updated hours will be posted online.