A seasonal Searsport business that sells local produce and goods will soon become a year-round operation with its own brick-and-mortar location on Main Street.
H&H Mercantile will move into the space at 31 Main St. that had been Sea Bird art gallery, joining a brewery and other new ventures that have led a downtown renaissance in recent years. They’ve done so despite a disruptive sidewalk reconstruction project that is close to finished and is expected to improve the area going forward.
“I’m really, really thrilled with this opportunity,” said business owner Patrick Hutchings. “I’m excited to be downtown, where it’s almost put together. The brewery just opened, and a lot of fun things are going on right now. It’s like a rebirth.”
Started three years ago, H&H Mercantile has operated from May to October, mostly out of Hobby Horse Antique Marketplace and Flea Market, as well as in pop-up events during the off-season. Its owner, Patrick Hutchings, said he has leased the downtown space and plans to open year-round going forward.
His business sells a variety of Maine-made products, including produce, baked goods, condiments, jewelry, games and hand-knit stuffed animals. The permanent location will allow him to grow his inventory, collaborate with more businesses and hold events.
“It’s a cooperative, basically, but not the same setup. It’s a hodgepodge,” Hutchings said. “I carry produce. I carry proteins, microgreens. And I have art and books and crafts, and I’m adding some things. It’s a little bit of everything right now.”
He noted that his business has just been authorized to accept payments through the SNAP program. Hutchings has previously held management roles in the food service and retail industries, and said that his business has allowed him to combine those two backgrounds to sell local products.
“My husband and I both like to create things, and now I don’t have a lot of time [to do that]. It started as an outlet to get to sell our own things, but then it morphed,” Hutchings said. “We wanted a shop that had many different parts to it. I work with lesser known artists and creators.”
