Posted by Cathy Bouchard in grocery, shops on May 19, 2007 at 1:30 pm

The Mercantile
626 College Street
416-531-7563

The Mercantile is a uniquely cozy shop on College Street, just east of Grace. At only 8-feet wide, it’s easy to miss on the busy Little Italy strip. Shannon Doyle opened The Mercantile in May of 1999 after years of bartending. She decided she could not bear to ever serve another beer. Trained as an actress, she thought opening her own business would be a great way to still be able to audition and act while making a steady living. She had lived in Little Italy for years and felt that a there was something missing in the area.

“I put a bit of a twist on the health food shop by incorporating gourmet foods (that don't carry any additives, of course) and also created The Mercantile to be a gift basket company, therefore allowing me to ship products out as well.”

The gift baskets have become a great way for people that are not in the area to be able to use the store. The website became a way for people to order all sorts of themed baskets like, “Thai Me Up for Dinner” or “I Will Never Wheat Again”. The store also has its own line of spice kits nicely presented in silver boxes, making a simple, elegant gift. Customers can also pick out their own basket or other container from the store's selection and fill it with whatever they choose to create their own package.

The Mercantile has become a sort of "health food store meets-food gift shop", carrying everything from cleaning products to preserves. Shannon tries to maintain a level of health in what she orders. There is also a feeling of community as many of the products are there on request of a regular customer. The design of the narrow store makes it easy to find most ingredients you need for dinner. It is well designed and packed with plenty of bins and baskets full of goodies. There is no mandate that the stock be all organic but you can definitely find the things I like to call “the organic necessities” like baby food, chocolate, coffee, whole grains and dairy products like yoghurt, milk and cheese. A rack of Little Stream bread gets stocked every Tuesday and the fridge is full of great local products like Pinehedge Farms yogurt and Sunflower Kitchen dips.

Most patrons are neighbourhood folk who do not want to shop at Dominion, or people visiting the area who think it’s a neat place to browse. Days like Mother’s Day are busy with last minute gift buyers. The counter area is a chocolate lover’s paradise with many organic bars including Green and Black’s and Denman Island. There is also a wide array of bulk candy and fresh baked goods made by local bakers like the huge chocolate and spelt cookie named “Spelt in Your Mouth". The back of the shop houses many bulk teas and spices. I gotta say this is a great feature. Buying spice in bulk allows customers to only buy what they need, so they can keep your spices in small containers and feel somewhat confident that they are always fresh. The Mercantile also pre-bags items like organic nuts, grains and beans for an easy grab out of the bin. There is a freezer packed (and I mean packed) with Hallelujah chicken and fish, Sweet Pea Baby Food and things like pre-made curries and bake-it-yourself spelt pizza dough.

The prices at the Mercantile may seem slightly high in comparison to shopping in, say, Kensington Market or some larger health food stores. That being said, it is the only shop of its kind in the area that has stood the test of time. The warmth of the store is undeniable and customers can be confident that they are supporting many local suppliers. The staff is very knowledgeable and, well... it’s not a supermarket. I’d say that’s worth the extra 20 cents.