Photo Victoria Navarrete
The Hamilton Mercantile : A Roadside Treasure Lives On
By Victoria Navarrete
WANDERing through Loudoun into the quaint town of Hamilton , Virginia , one is bound to notice the roadside gem that is the Hamilton Mercantile . Adorned with flags , flowers , and a porch that is made for snacking on , this place is magical to many , and a staple of Loudoun ’ s agricultural roots . As a historic building standing for almost two centuries , and a health food store since the 1970s , “ the Merc ” has had a long-standing legacy in western Loudoun . When its previous owner decided to take a new path in life , the next generation of health-conscious businesswomen stepped up to the plate : Meredith Brown and Abbie Whitehurst .
“ The previous owner approached me about buying the business while I was shopping one day ,” Meredith explains . “ I had been worried that the Merc was going to be sold and become something completely different .” It took one text from Meredith to Abbie , the owner of Leesburg ’ s King Street Coffee where Meredith had previously worked , and the possibility of saving the Merc became a reality . Abbie , a Hamilton resident herself was already looking to expand . “ So being in a position to take it over and keep its magic was so special ,” Meredith adds .
Meredith had always felt that the Merc was vital to the community and that it was a great place to bring people together . With the combination of her agricultural background and Abbie ’ s business expertise , the Hamilton Mercantile ’ s next evolution was born . As a store with a long history of being a women-operated business , and having established such deep roots in the community , Meredith wanted her Mercantile to retain every bit of charm that the previous owners had instilled in it .
“ It ’ s like walking into your kooky aunt ’ s house that has a little bit of everything ,” in-house herbalist Cree Catlett noted . Meredith has made every effort to retain the store ’ s value as a community resource — the walls are still lined with any supplement one could ever need , and the store is still full of the high-quality soaps , snacks , and gifts that the shop has become known for .
Meredith , with full support from the previous owner , spent the first few months deciding what the Merc really needed before turning to the community to stock her shop . As a member of Loudoun ’ s agricultural community herself ,
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