The Building Has a Memory
Once a grocery store. Still full of good things.
The Mercantile lives inside a historic building in the Cambria district, once a local grocery store, and some of the original shelves are still standing. Kim, who owns and runs the shop, has poured years into finding the pieces that belong here: things with a story, made by hand, or simply built better than what you'll find anywhere else today.
Stop by the antique ice box near the counter and you might still find a cold soda in a glass bottle waiting for you, a small nod to the building's grocery-store days.
A few times a year, the shelves get pushed back and the shop becomes a listening room for local and regional folk artists. It's the kind of evening that only really works in a building with this much character, and it's become one of the things regulars look forward to most.
Plan Your VisitFeatured Artist of the Month
Every month, one local maker gets the spotlight, a table near the front window and a story card telling their piece of the Appalachian craft tradition. Ask us who's featured this month when you visit.