White Buffalo Trading Company: A Haven of Turquoise and Native American Jewelry and Art

Sports is the theme for this month’s issue, and shopping is often referred to as the ultimate female sport. If you want to indulge in the sport of shopping and love high-quality Native American jewelry, visit Pam Minick and her knowledgeable team at White Buffalo Trading Company in Overland Park. Customers say there’s no one else in Kansas or Missouri with the amount and quality of Native American handmade jewelry that you can find at White Buffalo Trading Company.

Pam prides herself on the quality and variety of her extensive jewelry collection, many of them one-of-a-kind items, and her selection of Native American art for your home and life. If you’re a fan of Native American handmade jewelry and art, White Buffalo Trading Company is a must-visit.

Turquoise: More Valuable than Diamonds
According to Smithsonian Magazine, turquoise is becoming rarer and more valuable than diamonds. This applies to pure stones from mines across the world, but especially to the gorgeous stones found in southwestern U.S. mines. Turquoise is one of the most rarely occurring gemstones in the world and each geographic location boasts unique attributes. Amazingly, the majority of White Buffalo Trading Company’s jewelry collection is composed of this beautiful and rare semi-precious stone, in addition to pieces made with onyx, coral and other Native American materials.

Native American Jewelry and Art
White Buffalo Trading Company has been a mainstay in Overland Park for almost 20 years and carries a variety of contemporary and vintage jewelry. “Most pieces are one of a kind. Ninety-eight percent of the time, there’s a family history behind it, or there’s information on the artist and how the stone touched them individually to create the jewelry that I can share as well,” Pam said. Whether you’re visiting the store for the first time or a repeat customer, she and her team can educate you about the handmade Native American art and jewelry they carry. “I’m more excited than anything to show people the pieces I source, whether they’re new or vintage. I’m showing it to you because I love it.”

If you’re looking for something specific, Pam can help. “Some customers will come in for a particular stone from a certain mine or for specific artists that they’re familiar with and admire,” she shared. Through Pam’s extensive network of connections in the Native American community, she can find what you’re looking for. “My favorite thing is making a person happy and seeing their eyes smile. Our mission is to make our customers happy. Even if they don’t buy anything, they usually walk out thanking us for the experience or saying they learned something.”

In addition to jewelry, White Buffalo Trading Company carries a variety of other high-quality Native American art such as fetishes, katsinas, medicine bags, framed art, buckskin accessories and much more. Fetishes are small carvings of animals and Native American icons that are hand-carved by the Zuni Nation from different stones and other materials. They are an integral part of the medicine bags that are specially made for White Buffalo Trading Company. Each medicine bag is uniquely created to represent one of the 12 Native American astrology signs. Hopi katsinas are made from a single piece of cottonwood and range in size from two inches to four feet tall and come in hundreds of different carvings. Additionally, Pam carries beads, unusual vintage pieces, pottery and other art that can be worn or displayed. Visit the store today and enjoy a feast for the senses.

Visiting Artists and Jewelry Services
“You can’t fail with something you love,” Pam said, and she and her team love what they do: sharing knowledge about Native American jewelry, pottery and other artist items, and helping customers with pieces they already own. Pam provides a cleaning service for Native American jewelry and appraisal of pieces and collections, and she assists customers in repairing items or resizing rings. “If you heat turquoise, it’ll crack,” she said, so she trusts only the Native American silversmiths in Albuquerque with whom she’s worked for years because they’re experienced and “know what they’re doing.”

Pam has also cultivated strong relationships with contemporary artists and often has artist events at the store. Like and follow White Buffalo Trading Company on Facebook to get updates weekly or daily about new additions to the collection, visiting artists and other events. She also teaches individual beadwork lessons.

White Buffalo Trading Company is conveniently located in Overland Park, Kansas, off Metcalf and 135th Street. If you enjoy Native American art and jewelry, visit Pam and her team today to find a beautiful piece to bring in your life.

Visit the store at 13328 Metcalf, Overland Park, Kansas, their Facebook page or call 913-789-8858.