Plant City’s Historic Downtown is known as a hub for antique dealers. But a new 18,000-square-foot store is the largest one in the neighborhood.
The owners and manager of Plant City Mercantile describe the store as “curated boutique marketplace,” meaning it is filled with various booths, but vendors must submit photos and an application if they want to sell their pieces there.
“Then we look and see if it would be a good fit for us, and how it would be displayed,” co-owner Patricia Schultz said.
One vendor, Repurpose Revolution, upcycles old items into new creations, such as satchels made from coffee bean sacks and a table made from an old window. Another vendor, Burlap and Bling, offers shabby-chic, handcrafted accessories.
Other items currently available at Plant City Mercantile include a large model ship, strawberry-themed art, cow hide rugs and wicker furniture. There are also plenty of fine antiques. Schultz said the store’s goal is to offer pieces for shoppers of any age and with nearly any taste.
“We’re not just an antique shop with dusty, old antiques,” Schultz said. “Many of our vendors are quite creative. … Every vendor has a different taste, so it’s quite a nice variety.”
Plant City Mercantile also has classroom space and has been offering chalk painting classes. The owners plan to develop additional types of classes over time.
And they’re hoping to even build a coffee bistro in the front of the store, so patrons can recharge during marathon sessions of browsing, or have something to sip during a class.
The owners hope all of these features will encourage shoppers from out of town to bring their business to Plant City.
“We felt that Plant City needed a destination shop,” Schultz said.
Schultz and her husband, David, have a long history with antiques. In 1986, they opened an antique market called Brimfield Barn in Brimfield, Massachusetts — one of the nation’s meccas for antiques and handcrafted items. Brimfield Barn was so successful it was even featured in Country Living.
But the Schultzes moved to Florida in the early 2000s, to be closer to family. They opened a shop in Plant City called Patricia’s, but when the Kilgore Seed Building went up for sale, it was an opportunity too good to miss.
The Kilgore Seed Building, which now houses Plant City Mercantile, was built in 1916 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is unusual for Florida, Schultz said, because of its high beamed ceilings and exposed brick. There are also large windows that let in a lot of natural light.
“You don’t get a lot of this old mill look in Florida,” Schultz said. “We worked on preserving the look of the building, but bringing it up to a modern gallery.”
The owners, along with manager David Gnage, used polished palette boards to decorate some of the walls and other places in the store.
“It kind of goes after the look we want — modern, but rustic,” Gnage said. “We do want to be a step above.”
Plant City Mercantile’s soft opening was Jan. 2. All of the space on the first floor has been rented out, but some vendors are still in the process of moving in. The grand opening and Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24.
Plant City Mercantile
Address: 208 S. Collins Street, Plant City
Phone: (813) 659-9700
Website: PlantCityMercantile.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/PlantCityMercantile
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver.com.