Intertribal Life Newspaper -

SEATTLE, Wash.-For the first time, air travelers have the option of shopping at an airport store owned by Native Americans. The Sacred Circle Gift Shop, owned and operated by United Indians of All Tribes Foundation has found a home at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Located inside the main terminal on Concourse A, Sacred Circle offers authentic, Native-designed items from Northwest Coast and Coast Salish, including jewelry, clothing and accessories, art, glassware and gifts.

"We are honored to welcome the Sacred Circle gift shop to Sea-Tac Airport as our first Native American-owned retail establishment," said Port of Seattle Commissioner Fred Felleman. "It's a partnership that is long overdue and serves as an important welcome to visitors, reminding them that our region's rich cultural history is still very much a part of our contemporary art and culture. It's yet another example of the Port's commitment to increasing opportunities for small entrepreneurs, particularly women and minority-owned businesses."

"Sacred Circle at Sea-Tac Airport is a dream come true for our community," said United Indians of All Tribes Foundation's Executive Director Mike Tulee. "We are creating history with the Port of Seattle, and this opening aligns with our mission to reconnect Indigenous people in the Puget Sound region to their heritage by strengthening their sense of belonging and significance as Native people."

Sacred Circle Gift Shop opens at Sea-Tac as part of the kiosk program, which offers short-term retail opportunities for qualified small, local retailers for 6-, 12- and 18-month lease terms. Infrastructure in these spaces is provided and maintained by the Port. The Port launched its kiosk program in 2012 to provide more flexible and less expensive options for new concessionaires interested in operating at the airport.