Debbie Lewis

After 37 years in the teaching profession, Debbie Lewis of Vian and her friend, another teacher, decided to open a consignment and booth rental shop in downtown Sallisaw.

With the weather warming up, Lewis said their shop, DD‚s Consignment and Booth Rental, has remained busy for some time. The store is located at 214 E. Cherokee Street.

“We get lots of visitors here. They‚ve come from New York, Canada, and South Dakota, to name a few places. They stop by here while passing through Sallisaw,” she said.

Lews, 65, said she and her friend, Dequita Ellis, decided to open their shop after they both retired six years ago.

“I taught special needs students at the Indian Capital Area Vo-Tech. Mainly helping them with careers,” she said.

“It was something I really enjoyed doing. I guess it was just my love for children I wanted to go into that field of education.” Lewis said she would help students to receive training for such jobs as small engine repair and janitorial work.

After deciding to retire in May 2016, she said the shop was something they had talked about and decided to open a few weeks later after retiring.

“I think the best part about being here is all the people I get to meet and it‚s a different world here every day,” she said, laughing.

“We sell just a little bit of everything from clothing and shoes, household goods, jewelry and accessories. One day we had this guy who purchased some rocks from here. We had had a person selling an aquarium but all he wanted were the rocks,” she said. “So it‚s never a dull moment around here.”

Lewis said many of the people who come by not only visit her store but also some of the others located down the street.

“I think they just enjoy going from one end to the other to look and see what everyone has,” she said. “Things are so much better this year. Last year we were dealing with Covid and had to close for about three weeks but things are better now,” she said, smiling.

When Lewis is not working which is usually on Sunday and Mondays when the shop is closed, she enjoys spending time with her great-grand daughter, Harper, who is three years old.

“We play with dolls and Harper loves playing with blocks. We just have a good time.” She also enjoys reading but does not have a favorite author and working in her garden.

“I need to plant my tomatoes and peppers but just waiting for this weather to get better,” she said.

She and her husband, Jim, have one son and one grandson. “I live a pretty simple life. I enjoy my life as it is,” she said.

“I think I have a happy life.”

Just Folks. Just Folks is Your TIMES way of honoring the regular people of Sequoyah County, recognizing their unique talents, personalities, jobs, abilities, etc. Your TIMES appreciates the cooperation of each Just Folks and the public‚s nominations for this feature. If you know of someone you think might be a good story, contact Roy or Lynn at 918-775-4433.