All photos by Mark Blumer
“We literally go through a ton of butter each week,” Potter said. “It’s incredible, but Ree insists on cooking with butter.” It’s Ree Drummond’s down-home feel and Oklahoma style that attracts people from all over the country and world, for that matter. But if you decide to come eat at the deli/restaurant during the peak serving time, be prepared to wait a couple of hours before being seated in the restaurant. “It is so worth it though,” said Johnna Meeks, who was visiting The Merc from Billings, Montana. “The wait is comfortable and expected, and the food is beyond amazing. We travelled here specifically to go to see The Merc, and while we’ve been here, the people of Pawhuska and Bartlesville have been so great. What a wonderful area to visit. I’m so glad we did it.” Mortensen said the atmosphere and Oklahoma hospitality are exactly why The Merc was founded. “We want people to come from all over — and they have — to enjoy what Pawhuska, Osage County, Bartlesville and Tulsa have to offer,” he said. “Ree is such a dynamic person and just seeing people come here to enjoy what she has created is magical. We are so happy to welcome everyone to our frontier.” The Pioneer Woman Mercantile is open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. The Merc is closed on Sundays. For more information about The Pioneer Woman Mercantile, or to contact the staff, visit www. themercantile.com Nathan Thompson is the education, business and state government reporter for the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise and Pawhuska Journal-Capital newspapers. He studied broadcast journalism and meteorology at the University of Oklahoma in Norman.