Traders is here to stay
The recent sale of the building serving as the location for Traders Hitching Post in Matlacha has had a lot of people wondering if the business was making plans to relocate or close its doors. According to owner, Cindee Tolliver, no such plans are in the works.
“We are not going anywhere,” Tolliver said. “In fact, the new owner of the property has asked us to stay forever if we like. We are very happy at this location and plan to be here for a very long time.”
Traders Hitching Post has been doing business at the same location since 1981 and Cindee and her husband Jerry have owned and operated the Native American jewelry store in Matlacha since 1994. In addition to authentic hand-crafted sterling silver and turquoise jewelry, Traders also offers customers a selection of other southwestern items including Kachina dolls, pottery, paintings, fetish carvings, wood carvings, blankets, bolos, belts and more. Each year the Tolliver’s travel to the southwest to hand select the merchandise they carry at Traders.
“We go to the southwest to look for the best handcrafted pieces we can find and often purchase the work of many well known Indian artists and buy signed pieces for the shop,” said Tolliver. “In addition to purchasing items directly from the artists, we also visit other credible and well established dealers, many of which we now consider good friends.”
Nearly everything found within the walls of Traders Hitching Post are the work of American Natives from the Zuni, Navaho, Santo Domingo tribes and more.
Dedicated to the Pine Island and Matlacha communities, both Cindee and Jerry have been active in many capacities. Jerry is a past-president and board member of the Matlacha Mariners and still serves as an active member of the organization. Cindee has served on the Pine Island Chamber of Commerce board of directors as well as serving several terms on the board of the Matlacha Hookers and is actively involved in the Pine Island Community Church Wednesday Mission Team assisting elderly and disabled residents with a variety of chores and home repairs.
“Working and serving in the Greater Pine Island area has been a truly fun and enjoyable ride and we couldn’t imagine being anywhere else,” Tolliver said.
In keeping with their community spirit, the Tolliver’s have also opened their business up as a drop off location to support area charities. Each year donations of Christmas stockings for the Salvation Army and Easter Baskets for FISH are collected at Traders as well as serving as the host site for which the Matlacha Hookers and Mariners sell raffle tickets for fund raisers and the Tolliver’s also distribute and collect scholarship applications for island students seeking financial assistance toward college educations.
Traders Hitching Post is located at 4681 Pine Island Road, Matlacha and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with extended hours on Friday during Creative Coast weekends. For more information, call Traders Hitching Post at 283-4040 or visit the website at tradershitchingpost.com