‘Made in USA’ …in a local way!

They hope to gradually acquire consignment items from local artists and craftsmen to display in the store.
“We want to build up American artistry and workmanship and bring back pride in America,” said Cherie.
She describes her visits to a local town where she shopped, expecting to find Amish made items. But when she turned the objects over, it always seemed to read “Made in China” on the bottom. Her disappointment led to her determination to open a shop dedicated to preserving the arts and crafts of native Missourians.
“The idea is to use local people as much as possible and bring back the “Made in the USA” label, which, by the way, is very difficult to find anymore,” she said.
The Merrills want to have good, top quality merchandise available. They invite area artisans to bring in their work for possible consignment and they will negotiate from there.
As an example, the store presently has Halloween and Thanksgiving crafts, Amish made candles, cookbooks and hand-stitched “potato bags” and aprons. Framed pictures of area people and places will be available soon from a local photographer. There are some home decor items for sell in the store which are not American made. In the future, Becca Hodges and Jeanette Stretch will offer rag quilting classes and kits, along with classes on herbs. Musical instruments and accessories will also be offered.
The Merrills will steer away from antiques.
“We want the store to be a little different than what normally goes on in the area,” Cherie said.
Jay will sell fresh produce behind the store along with herbs and vitamins and herbal teas.
Originally from Las Vegas, Nev., the Merrills have lived in Hamilton for the past year and a half.
They owned a flood and mold restoration and carpet and upholstery cleaning business in Las Vegas for 25 years. Jay had back problems, so they sold their share to a partner.
They had three horses which they were boarding in Nevada and Jay wanted to have a greenhouse so they knew they wanted to move to someplace with some land. When a daughter came to Hamilton to visit a friend that lived on a farm, she saw a neighboring house and acreage and thought it was just what her mother and father were looking for.
Taking their daughter’s word for it, the Merrills bought the house sight unseen, except for some pictures. The day they moved in was the first time they saw the house.
Jay was born in Los Angeles, but Cherie was born in St. Joe and felt like she was coming back to her roots.
“We love the green; it’s so different from the desert,” said Cherie. “The desert is beautiful, too, of course. Every place has its charm.”
They decided to open their store in Gallatin, because: “We love Gallatin; we love the town square and the look of the city.”
While they searched from Idaho to Nevada looking for a place, the Merrills thought about a name for the store.  “Our children came up with different names, but nothing fit.”
They settled on a name that has symbolic meaning for them. The five-pointed star in Rocking Star represents their five children; the “rocking” represents their 11 grandchildren.
The store changed its theme three times during remodeling. Cherie describes the various restoration projects as “an adventure.” The front of the building had to be jacked where it was sinking and a new foundation poured by Rob Aitchison. Marshall Dewey has helped with painting and carpentry on the inside. Matt Argyle sorted through all the old wiring to bring the electrical up to date. A Jamesport man has been contacted to possibly make shelves and signs and transition the store  to a modern country look.
“We’ve been at it since March and it’s still a work in progress,” said Cherie, of the restoration of the building. “We’ve had lots of friends volunteer their time and talents. We could not have gotten that kind of help in Las Vegas.”
Jay works at Thayer in Kidder and will be actively involved in the store. They expect to eventually hire extra help so they can get away to see their children and grandchildren.
The store is open right now for business. Tentative hours are  Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The time will probably change later as they accommodate to the flow of customers. They would like to hold a grand opening in the near future. They’ve talked with area businesses about possibly having a sidewalk sale for the whole square that day.
“We want everybody to enjoy the store and help us grow,” said Cherie. “We’re looking for what the community needs and wants and suggestions are welcome.”