STROMSBURG, Neb. (KOLN) – The business called “Primitive Chicks” is located inside the 4th Street Coffee House building in the Swede Capital of Nebraska. It’s become a destination for people looking for unique antique finds.

We caught up with owner Pam Kramer to talk about her business.

“I am the owner, and another person, Dawn Anderson, has some items in here as well,” Kramer said. “We started 10 years ago in June. We are located in the 4th Street Coffee House building, which is owned by Shelli Berck, and she’s made it possible for us to have our small business here.”

Primitive antiques are generally old, handmade items that have more of a rough look, and Kramer says she and her husband gather many of the pieces on road trips to places like Indiana, Ohio and update New York.

“You are talking about the late 1700s to the 1800s,” Kramer said. “As people moved west, they had less things with them, so they had to start making things. So these items are utilitarian, and we’ve found some neat primitive antique shows and dealers where we like to find items. Some of the pieces in the store right now that stand out include a blue dry sink that is put together with peg construction. We have a dry paint cupboard where the paint is in it’s original condition, and we also have a child Windsor chair which is a unique piece.”

“There’s a lot that happens here in this building,” Kramer said. “Shelli and her husband Ross own the coffee shop, but they support other businesses. We have Miranda Dukes that is a barista here, and she also launched a catering business out of this location.”

Dukes’ catering business is called “Just Like Grandma’s”.

“We have Jeff and Erin Lacy who have a construction business called Mischievous Metal, and that is showcased here,” Kramer said. “They do custom furniture, and they have a couple of pieces in here that we are using for display.”

There are other businesses selling products in the building such as candles and jewelry.

“There are even local authors selling their books here,” Kramer said.

“One of the things I like is when people drive up from Texas, and being on Highway 81, they discover the coffee shop,” Kramer said. “Then they discover the store, and they want to come back. We have people coming from Kansas, from South Dakota, and we pull a lot from Lincoln and Omaha. It’s been fun getting to know people who are coming from a distance.”

The hours for Primitive Chicks are 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, just like the coffee shop, and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to Noon.

Be sure to check out this antique destination the next time you visit Polk County and Stromsburg.

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