Alpaca Store opens in town

The central business district in Hill City has a new business.

The Alpaca Store opened a new location in early November after operating at Three Forks and Keystone, said Stuart Smith, co-owner of the Alpaca Stores in the Black Hills.

“(The Alpaca Store) has been working with families down in Peru for over 40 years now as a main importer,” he said. “I’ve been doing this for 25 years or so.”

He said he started out selling the rugs and then moved into doing stores. He said he’s usually at Three Forks selling the rugs, which he’s done for the last 12 years.

And then the location became available where Cream used to be.

“So we moved in here,” he said. “We are going to create a year-round store here.”

The store’s main product is alpaca goods, selling alpaca rugs , pillows, toys, sweaters, scarves, hats and gloves. His store has also branched out to selling sheepskin slippers and Turkish lamps.

“I just sell the best stuff,” he said.

So far, business has been good, Smith said, although with COVID-19 it can be hit or miss.

The alpaca is the softest and warmest wool, he said, and it’s six times warmer than the warmest sheep wool is.

Even lightweight will still keep people warm, he added.

“It’s wool,” Smith said. “If you are soaking wet it’ll still keep you warm. It’s the finest, softest. You have the best artist down in Peru working for us. It’s a great quality product.”

Smith said he got started with the business when he was living in Lake Tahoe, Calif. He said he was bartending and doing boat and ski rentals and had a friend who was selling the rugs while tending bar.

Smith said he figured he could do that, and he started working for the company.

Now he’s here, Smith said. After being in the Black Hills for 12 years, this is now home.

Come summertime, Smith said they plan to expand hours. He said he plans on having the Keystone location open as well as, hopefully, he said, the Three Forks Location.

During the summer, too, he said they plan on selling more summertime goods.

“It’s a great quality product at a great price,” he said. “I try to keep my prices affordable. I just sell good, quality products. I get a lot of repeat business.”

For more information, email alpacastoresd@gmail.com.