Opening of Monroe Mercantile Market brings many new shopping options

04/03/2018 Sharon Swanepoel Business, Business, Top News 0

The community is invited to stop in and browse the many new shopping options offered on all three floors of the Monroe Mercantile Market after its grand opening at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 7, 2018. The Monroe Mercantile Market is located in downtown Monroe in the historic 113 N. Broad Street building most recently occupied by Buckles before its closing at the end of 2016. Those who remember shopping in Buckles since the early 1970s will be happy to see the building restored to its original splendor and back in operation. With a new eatery and a smorgasbord of shopping options, it is likely to again become a staple in downtown Monroe.

Chad Cheely, owner and operator of Cheely’s General Store & Cafe’, said the cafe’ at the back of the main floor will serve sandwiches, hot dogs and such similar food items, along with ice cream, milkshakes and coffee. Candies and other general store items also can be found on the main floor along with boutiqe items from GCE Boutique and Carries by Ginny’s Custom Embroidery Inc., antiques and home decor items from the Olive Branch Antiques & Home Decor. There are many other items from the several other vendors on all three floors of the newly renovated building. Upstairs is Fine As Frog Hair Custom Children’s Clothing & Embroidery.

“You can buy something here or downstairs at a boutique and bring it up here to be monogrammed,” said Misty Willis, owner of Fine as Frog Hair. You will also find art from local artists, fine musical instruments and even a book nook.

“We hope to invite some local authors to hold book signing here and we have a room downstairs that can be rented out to groups who may want to hold meetings or group events,” said Cheely.

James Draper, of JEC Development that owns the building, said that the Olive Branch is the primary leaseholder and subleases to the other two primarly vendors, Cheely’s and Fine as Frog Hair as well as some smaller vendors. Cheely’s and Fine as Frog Hair will have their own pay stations, but Olive Branch will host pay stations for itself as well as smaller vendors.

“There are still some spaces available if anybody is interested,” Cheely said. Olive Branch Antiques & Home Decor is the leasing agent. “We will have some food samples and some live music here on Saturday for the Grand Opening.”

Last occupied by Buckles, the building at 113 N. Broad has an impressive history. According to historian Steve Brown, the building dates back to 1885 when Mrs. James Nunnally, a widow, sold her house on Broad Street to Collie Breedlove. He went on to build the orignally building on the property along with her brother-in-law, William Hartwell Nunnally. The store opened as Nunnally, Breedlove & Company, “selling general merchandise.”

“W. H. Nunnally soon bought Mr. Breedlove’s part of the Business and it became The Nunnally Company, Monroe’s first large department store,” Brown said. “W. H. Nunnally died in 1930 and the business was sold to Gallant-Belk’s in 1934. Gallant-Belk’s occupied the location for over 40 years. Peters & Fosters followed Belk’s, and most recently, Buckles Hardware.”

The end of an era in Monroe as Buckles Hardware readies to close

Cheely said members of the Buckles family are expected to be on hand on Friday or Saturday for the official grand opening to see what is now the Monroe Mercantile Market.