her first mission was to bring more locality into the store . The Merc ’ s focus had always been good organic foods , but through Meredith , it has shifted more towards fresh foods straight from farms in the local community .
interior Photos : wib middleton
When you visit the store , you ’ ll find produce from Chilly Hollow Farm in Berryville , cheeses from George ’ s Mill in Lovettsville , and gorgeous flowers from Far Bungalow Farm in Leesburg , among many other treasures . Deliveries are made by farmers daily , which encourages customers to form a personal connection to local producers of good , clean food .
Community is everything to the Merc , and Meredith believes her focus on community sourcing
Every corner of the Hamilton Mercantile invites exploration and new discoveries , including a perfect cup of joe and other delightful offerings at the coffee bar . has been the store ’ s saving grace . “ Buying a store in the middle of the pandemic was terrifying . But the local vendors kept the store alive . Through all of the supplychain struggles we had , our local vendors never once had an issue keeping the store stocked .”
While retaining the previous staff and a loyal customer base , the Mercantile family has only continued to grow . “ I ’ ve been coming here for cherry soda since I was a child , and now I bring my kids here ,” customer Chris Sutphin mentions . “ It ’ s the people . It ’ s impossible to stay away .”
With a team that is eager to help , no question is left unanswered . “ This place ... it ’ s a little bit of practical magic . Here , food is medicine ,” Cree Catlett notes , a smile on her face . The store is the true embodiment of “ come as you are .” Stepping into the shop , you ’ ll be met with a warm greeting , melodic tunes , and often a sassy , fire-headed three year old in the form of Meredith ’ s daughter .
“ Everyone on this staff has a true desire to help , and the connections we form in here are truly friendships ,” Meredith remarks . Even with the growth of staff from the addition of a coffee bar , she feels that her employees show up to work each day because of their love and belief in what they do .
While the coffee shop was always part of the plan for the Mercantile ’ s new face , fine tuning the store to reflect their vision was Meredith and Abbie ’ s first priority .
Once they had found their footing , it was Abbie ’ s time to shine . As owner of King Street Coffee , she was well versed in giving people what they really want : an
36 wander I spring • summer 2022