Saturday, May 4, 2024
What began as a small shop selling women’s clothing just before the pandemic started is now known as one of Gatesville’s local favorite one-stop-shops.
1854 Mercantile, named after the year Coryell County was founded, is a one-of-a-kind business that brings a special touch to the retail atmosphere.
Nikole and Scott Tatum, current owners of 1854 Mercantile, are Gatesville locals who simply jumped at the chance to have a space for local vendors to come together.
“We just thought it would be a great opportunity to branch out and have a store that would utilize local vendors and give the people of Gatesville another opportunity to buy local,” said Nikole.
Unlike other retail stores, 1854 Mercantile prides itself on sharing its convenient storefront with other local vendors who create handmade goods. This includes everything from clothing and wood crafts to soaps and books. Shoppers can also find freshly made treats such as cake pops, jerky and jam and even a small selection of seasonings.
“We have a little bit of everything,” said Nikole. “It really is like an old-fashioned mercantile; you can find a little bit of everything.”
While the business originated under another owner, the Tatums have been operating as owners since June 2022. The location of 1854 Mercantile also moved from Route 36 to the downtown square of Gatesville, just past the courthouse on the corner of Main Street and North 5th Street.
“Since then, the foot traffic has increased exponentially. It’s just been a better move all around,” said Nikole. “We’ve always wanted that quintessential business on the square.”
As with any shop, 1854 Mercantile came with its own set of hurdles for the new owners, including the ever growing issue of finding reliable hires. This was especially a challenge for the Tatums, due to each of them continuing to work full time, Nikole as a nurse at Hillside Medical Lodge and Scott at Hometown Floors.
“Finding a good workforce was definitely a challenge,” said Nikole. “But we’ve got some really good workers in there right now; hopefully they’ll stay a while.”
The Tatums also had some challenges that every small business owner comes across, such as creating a reputation within the community. While 1854 Mercantile already had a great relationship with its shoppers in Gatesville, Nikole and Scott had to gain the community’s love as the new owners. In doing this, they would ensure the unique experience of the business was here to stay and only grow from then on.
“I’ve never really dealt with vendors before,” said Nikole. “So dealing with vendors, especially vendors who maybe sell the same things, and not letting anyone feel left out or pushed aside… that was a challenge.”
As the months change, they also try to keep the merchandise relevant to fit the upcoming seasons. These include events such as breast cancer awareness month and Halloween for October, Black Friday and Thanksgiving for November, and of course Christmas for December.
“We have to be fluid, and we have to constantly be bringing new things in… not get stagnant because no one wants to come in and see the same things every time they come in,” said Nikole.
Although the original idea behind creating a business is to make money, the Tatums simply want to be successful enough at 1854 Mercantile to see their vendors do well.
“We had a vendor last month who picked up her check and was almost in tears because she had sold more than she thought she would, and she was so excited,” said Nikole. “That was just the best feeling and I was so happy for her.”
For more information about 1854 Mercantile or to inquire about becoming a vendor in their shop, you can visit them on the square in downtown Gatesville or visit their page on Facebook.
“We love this community,” said Nikole. “We want to be able to offer different things to this community that you’re not necessarily going to be able to find anywhere else.”
