Silli Chili brings Southwest to Sisters

Sharon McVay took ownership of the Southwestern-themed store Silli Chili last month, looking forward to having a good time and meeting interesting people.

She hasn’t been disappointed.

“I thought it would be fun,” she said. “I love everything in here. And I like people — so what more could you want?”

The store specializes in Southwestern decor, Western art, Southwestern and Native American jewelry and vintage Western clothing popular with re-enactors and cowboy action shooters. There’s also a shelf of cooking and barbecue supplies that will literally spice up your kitchen.

McVay comes by her Southwestern connections honestly — she was raised partly in Oregon, but also in New Mexico and Arizona. She loves the warmth and welcoming feeling of Southwestern home decor and fixtures.

“You never walk into a home from the Southwest that’s cold,” she said.

McVay has tried to carve a unique niche for her shop amid the other Western- and Native American-themed shops in Sisters. She accommodates as much work from local artists as possible and focuses on a vintage feel, whether it’s in clothing or in Western music.

Her clientele ranges from local cowboy aficionados to re-enactors from other parts.

“There’s a group of guys from the coast that’s a shooting club, but they do weddings and carriage rides,” she said.

Those folks regularly place orders for Silli Chili’s line of stylish Victorian-era coats, vests and shirts.

McVay plunged into her retail operation looking for fun — and she found it. She said she finds being the proprietor of Silli Chili “all I had hoped for.”

Silli Chili is located in Town Square (161 E. Cascade Ave.). Call 549-1549 for more information.