When a deadly, catastrophic tornado swept through Sulphur, Oklahoma, in April, wind speeds of 136 to 165 miles per hour from the category EF-3 cyclone razed the town’s historic main street. Many buildings dated back to the 1920s and were home to treasured, eclectic shops.
One of those was The Mix Mercantile, where brightly painted red doors once welcomed guests into a vibrant store known for its unique clothing, charming home décor, eye-catching accessories, array of gourmet local foods and upcycled furniture. The Mix also offered T-shirts honoring its location’s origins as the C. D. Hicks Tent & Tarp store.
The Mix and neighboring businesses were left in devastating shambles.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt told a FOX Weather reporter he hadn’t seen tornado damage this bad in his six years in office.
The Mix Mercantile’s co-owner Christy Morris recounted hearing the blasting alarms sound as the tornado blew out the shop’s front windows and doors. The severe damage left the shop in unsalvageable shape.
But there’s hope on the horizon.
Heart on Main Street raised funds to donate an impactful $10,000 to The Mix Mercantile for its rebuild efforts.
“This donation would not have been possible without fantastic partners like the Boutique Hub, which put out a call to its network of retailers to donate, Crystal Media, which held a fundraiser for our organization at their April conference and the dozens of people who donated to the cause,” says Patrick Keiser, executive director of Heart on Main Street, which he founded in 2022 with a mission to provide knowledge, resources and connections to independent retailers.
“This donation is a symbol of our commitment to supporting communities nationwide, especially those facing adversity,” says Keiser of the collective effort. “We believe in the power of small businesses like The Mix Mercantile to bring life and character to our downtowns.”
Heart on Main Street is proud to provide financial assistance to The Mix Mercantile to help rebuild the store. It pains us to see what has happened to their store and the whole community.”
He adds, “We hope to see The Mix Mercantile back on its feet and serving the community very soon.”
Keep track of The Mix Mercantile’s progress and updates on the Heart on Main Street blog.
