(PCM) Cast Iron Co. Under New Ownership
Lance & Jaime Cherry Introduce the Cast Iron Standard
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Kitchen specialty store Cast Iron Co. is located in downtown Ponca City in the historic Donahoe-Souligny building at 121 E. Grand Avenue. Cast Iron Co. specializes in offering high-quality cast iron cookware, kitchen gadgets and utensils, and an appealing array of gourmet sauces, seasonings and foods.
Opened in 2020 by Andrew & Lisa Simmons, Cast Iron Co. has become a staple of the downtown market. Self-proclaimed foodies Lance and Jaime Cherry bought Cast Iron Co. in June of 2024, officially opening the doors for their first time on June 3. Lance and Jaime are transplants from New Mexico. After visiting Ponca City, they fell in love with our community. They loved the lakes, the historical and cultural resources, and especially how kind people were. The Broadband was also a big factor for Lance and Jaime, as they have both worked remotely since 2020. The couple moved here in 2022. Lance and Jaime have backgrounds in the nonprofit world, specializing in marketing and community outreach. They are still learning the ropes of owning their own store, but are enjoying taking their work skills and putting them into practice as small business owners.
One thing Lance & Jaime knew they wanted to do was expand the offering of Lodge cast iron products sold in the store. They recently added some of the Lodge Blacklock items, which is a line Lodge has created to honor their original products. Items from the Blacklock line are triple seasoned. The Cherry’s’ passion for cast iron extends to bringing old pieces back to life as well. Lance explains that cast iron maintains its quality forever. He often sees people getting rid of a piece that was handed down to them because they are convinced it’s ruined. Lance and Jaime are looking forward to offering refurbishing pieces for their customers. The Cherry’s also plan to refurbish vintage pieces they find and offer them for sale.
The couple is working to bring in more items from local and area vendors. Lance shares, “We try really hard to find products locally. We try to find products that are American made and of high quality. We are really trying to focus on having unique items that you can’t find anywhere else.” They aren’t necessarily looking to offer trendy products but rather items that can be passed down from generation to generation. In a sense, Lance and Jaime are letting the sustainability and longevity of cast iron set the standard for the whole store.
Lance and Jaime use the products they sell. They cook on cast iron at home and have tried all of the gourmet food items. They encourage customers to ask questions and love it when customers stop by to visit about a product or share a recipe with them. They like to hand out samples on Saturdays and eventually plan to do more cooking demonstrations online. They often share recipes on their Facebook page that feature the delicious products they offer in store. Lance and Jaime’s favorite is a Hawaiian Chicken recipe. Originally shared by customer Larry Williams, the Cherry’s kicked this recipe up a notch by adding Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce made by Terrapin Ridge. Check out the “Recipes” tab on their website to find this recipe and more.
The Cherry’s are bringing in a few new lines this spring, including a line of wooden utensils. This innovative brand offers all manner of wood items, including wooden bread knives. Cast Iron Co. is looking forward to helping families get away from using plastic utensils.
As Lance and Jaime continue to learn about and grow their new business, they are also really enjoying being small business owners in Ponca City. Jaime shares, “The merchants here love what they do and they’re passionate about what they offer. We love being part of that community. We’re all very supportive of one another’s businesses. We’re all in it as small business owners and we just want people to get back to thinking about us before they go to the big box because that’s who we’re ultimately competing against.”
For more information, visit Lance and Jaime in downtown Ponca City at 121 E. Grand Avenue. You can also reach them through their Cast Iron Facebook page, or their website at castironcompany.com.
Cast Iron Crushes
Some of the Cherry’s’ favorite products
Lodge Cast Iron – The Blacklock line items are lighter weight and triple seasoned. Lodge Baking Sheets will last forever, unlike aluminum baking sheets.
Smoked Sea Salts by Herban Renewal Farms – check out the Habanero Sea Salt if you like a kick!
Tastefully Olive Greek Seasoning Olive Oil – takes chicken from drab to fab.
Meat Church Products – they’re all great! Holy Voodoo is a wonderful addition to dips and jalapeno poppers.
Chili powders – The Cherrys home state of Arizona fostered their love of red and green chili.
Terrapin Ridge Farms Hot Pepper Bacon Jam – this is the store’s #1 selling product! It’s excellent over cream cheese as an appetizer, stuffed into a burger or used as a glaze on pork roast.
Poppy Shop Handcrafted Popcorn – Jaime loves this brand because of their heart for their community. Located in Asheville, North Carolina, they were hit hard by last year’s hurricane. After they got up and running again, they poured a lot of their profit right back into rebuilding their community.
Milkhouse Candle Co. Very Vanilla Candle – the store’s signature scent.
Geometry Kitchen Towels – the patterns are constantly changing. If you see one you like, you’d better grab it.
Handmade cutting boards, including custom designed cheeseboards and breadboards from Oklahoma company Nichoma Woodcrafters.
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