Effie and Shannon Clairmont celebrated the New Year as the new owners of Muley Bluz Cowboys Toys in Ronan.

The Clairmonts are breed and train horses so a saddle shop is not foreign terrain to them, but leather work is a new skill. Steve Crumm, who has owned Muley Bluz for 25 years and sold them his business, is teaching them “all about leatherwork” and “everything about the business,” Effie said.

Effie is in her 20th year at Salish Kootenai College, where she’s chair of the Humanities Department and co-chair of the Social Sciences Division. Shannon is supervising wildlife biologist at the National Bison Range.

This opportunity just fell into their lap, Effie said. Steve was ready to retire, but he wanted Muley Bluz to go to the right people. While it’s a win/win situation, Effie acknowledges that it’s also a big life change for all of them.

The Clairmonts plan to open an eCommerce website as well as expand the products they carry with more performance products and supplements. They’ll also be adding a dog department, featuring collars, toys, feed and supplements, much to the delight of Steve’s new canine pal, Ronnie.

Hours for Muley Bluz are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday this winter. In March the shop will open at 8 a.m. and close at 4:30 p.m. weekdays. On Saturdays they are open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Muley Bluz is located at 217 Main Street SW in Ronan. The business phone number is 406-676-3900.

An open house is planned for this spring.