Area Information

Welcome to Rapid City, South Dakota!

Known as the gateway to the Black Hills, Rapid City offers an incredible range of natural landscapes that would make any traveler stand back in admiration. The ideal place for corporate travelers and families alike, the city provides a vast array of activities and sightseeing opportunities. In fact, there are so many things to do that guests will make many return trips just to visit everything!


If you are staying at the Hotel Alex Johnson, you’ll want to be sure to visit the Alex Johnson Mercantile next door before or after exploring the local area.

The Hotel Alex Johnson

Alex Johnson Mercantile

Explore and enjoy locally and regionally made arts as you step into the Alex Johnson Mercantile. Located directly off of the lobby of the historic Hotel Alex Johnson, the local mercantile store provides hotel guests and visitors of the Black Hills with a large collection of pottery, original paintings, jewelry, bronze and Lakota Sioux bead and quill work as well as various other products made locally and regionally.

Started as a small gift shop inside the lobby of the hotel, the Hotel Alex Johnson Mercantile has quickly grown and required its own space. The store now sells a variety of local and regional products that represents the history associated with the hotel and with the beautiful Black Hills area.

The products in the Alex Johnson Mercantile are a reflection of the Native American culture and original work of South Dakota artists. All products are proudly made from within the United States, and the staff at the Alex Johnson Mercantile is always searching for new and exceptional products that visitors of South Dakota can take home with them. While Black Hills Gold, Trisha Waldron, Native American art and original art are in the spotlight within the store, Alex Johnson Mercantile also features a women’s jewelry line called Sassy and Juicy that is made exclusively for The Hotel Alex Johnson.

For those who want a reminder of the Black Hills but did not have time to stop in the store, Alex Johnson Mercantile offers products, monthly specials and holiday specials online on the Alex Johnson Mercantile website. Visitors from around the United States are able to visit the website and purchase local and regional products to represent the history of the Black Hills.

The Alex Johnson Mercantile is known for the unique product lines that will create a lasting memory of your time spent in the Black Hills. Some of the product lines available include:

Product Lines

  • Black Hills Gold
  • Copper Gulch
  • Sassy and Juicy
  • Trisha Waldron
  • Native American Jewelry
In addition, the Alex Johnson Mercantile sells bronze statues and horn and wood carvings.

Alex Johnson Mercantile carries a variety of call art including: hand painted feathers, original art, prints and quotable art, and also features Lakota Pottery, Raku Pottery and Swan Valley Copper.

For guests who are looking for something even more unique, the historic gift shop also sells an assortment of collectables including Eggspressions, Knives and Starlite Porcelain.

Native American Products

As a large part of South Dakota’s history, Native American culture is shown through many different types of products that can be found in the South Dakota mercantile store, such as:

  • Arrows & War Clubs
  • Bags, Bead Work and Quill Work
  • Dance Sticks and Dream Catchers
  • Dolls
  • Vintage Work
Artwork made from local and regional artists can be treasured for years to come. Providing the finest local and regional collection of craftwork, beadwork, feather art, carvings and other Black Hills treasures, Alex Johnson Mercantile strives to give you everything you need to remember your holiday in the Black Hills.