Keeping Trading Post Traditions Alive
For 50 years, Winter Sun has served the community with healing herbs and inspiring art.
For five decades, Winter Sun Trading Company has quietly anchored downtown Flagstaff as a place of healing, learning and connection. What began in 1976 as a modest trading company has grown into a nationally known destination for herbs, authentic Southwest art and ethnobotanical wisdom, while remaining deeply rooted in community.
By morning on a weekday, owner Phyllis Hogan is already fully engaged, moving between spice racks, handmade jewelry and customer consultations. An herbalist and ethnobotanist, Hogan wears many hats, managing retail sales and mail order while continuing research that takes her outside of the store, including work with the Museum of Northern Arizona.
Business, she said, remains strong.
“We're flooded,” Hogan said. “We're a good, healthy downtown business.”
The founding story
Hogan founded Winter Sun Trading Co. in 1976, seeing it as both a trading post and a living laboratory.
“From the beginning it was a place for hands-on learning and traditional plant knowledge,” she said. “Much like ancient trading posts, it became a welcoming space for elders to share wisdom through generations.”
Top Achievements
Hogan cites longevity, relationships and integrity as her greatest accomplishments.
“I am proud to maintain the company for almost five decades, while remaining faithful to its original values,” she said. “I am also proud of the trusted relationships built with indigenous elders and to contribute to ethnobotanical understanding through quality herbs and education.”
Core values
Authenticity, respect and knowledge sharing guide Winter Sun's operations.
“We honor traditional practices and authentic Southwest art while mentoring younger herbalists and artists to help continue these traditions responsibly,” said Hogan.
Shifts that affect the business
About 30 years ago, Winter Sun expanded its family roots when Hogan's daughters began producing plant-based skin care products locally. Those lines, now nationally recognized, raised the store's profile while strengthening its grocery base.
Biggest challenges
Economic shifts and rising rents have tested the company over the years.
“Staying true to our mission, values and community has helped us adapt,” Hogan said.
Looking forward
Hogan avoids long-term projections, preferring a day-by-day approach centered on service, tradition and education.
The reason for long-term success
Trust, Hogan said, is the foundation.
“Being in the same place for so many years allows us to build lasting relationships,” she said. “People know they can rely on us.” FBN
Winter Sun Trading Company 107 N. San Francisco St. Flagstaff, AZ 86001 928-774-2884 www.wintersun.com
Thanks to photo: Winter Sun Trading Post owner Phyllis Hogan poses with her staff for a 2025 Christmas photo at the store. From left, bottom row: Hogan, Metzli Marcus, Rachel Mallonowski and Amanda Stroud. Going up the stairs: Pedro Camacho, Ariel Peshalikai and Cyam Casteen.
