Nine Mile Mercantile Aims to Become Community Gathering Place

Residents of the Nine Mile area will soon have a new place to shop local, discover handmade goods, and connect with neighbors when 9 Mile Mercantile celebrates its planned grand opening Aug. 7 and 8. Owner Tonie Nichole Thornton, a longtime Nine Mile resident and owner of Style House 291 Salon & Boutique, said the new business was born out of both necessity and a desire to serve the growing community.

“I’ve lived in Nine Mile since I was 5 years old,” Thornton said. “There is nothing much here, so I wanted to create a space where you can shop local, support small, and have a gathering place for the community to see the local talent.” Thornton, 37, has been a licensed hairstylist for 11 years and opened Style House 291 Salon & Boutique three years ago. As the boutique inside the salon continued to grow, she said she realized there was a need for more space. “We have tons of local vendors, and seeing that go well gave me the idea to eventually have a standalone storefront,” she said. The decision also came from a practical standpoint.

“I’ve been doing hair for 11 years and my body is breaking down,” Thornton said. “I can’t just stop doing hair because that’s my income, so I wanted to create a second source of income where I could cut down my clients and not continue to hurt my body.” She said that when she learned a newly-constructed building was available along the main highway through Nine Mile, she knew it was the right opportunity. The location sits between two schools, across from Suncrest Community Church and Phase 1 Physical Therapy, and next to another locally owned business. “The building is perfect for 9 Mile Mercantile,” Thornton said. “It’s owned by a local family and it’s in a great location for the community.” Even the business name came together unexpectedly. Thornton said she originally planned to call the store “Style House Collective” before her husband suggested choosing a name that wasn’t so closely tied to the salon. While discussing the idea with a client, inspiration struck.

“Our nail tech, Marge, jumped out of her room and said, ‘I have a commercial idea for the 9 Mile Mercantile,’” Thornton recalled with a laugh. “I said, ‘That isn’t the name,’ and that’s when the lightbulb moment happened.” Thornton describes the concept as “farmers market meets boutique” or, as she likes to call it, a “Farmtique.” She plans to offer a wide variety of locally-sourced and handcrafted products, including farm-fresh eggs, honey, sourdough bread, fresh produce, home décor, books, gift items, handmade jewelry, goat milk soap, apparel, footwear, and specialty food items such as Edgar’s Hot Sauce. A surprise grab-and-go vendor is also expected to be announced before the grand opening.

Supporting local artisans, farmers, and small businesses is the heart of the store’s mission. “The primary reason we wanted to open the Mercantile is to create a space where the community can support local,” Thornton said. The business already has plans for future monthly farmers markets, holiday events, “Small Business Saturday” promotions, and weekly sourdough pickups. Before the doors have even opened, Thornton said the response from the community has exceeded her expectations. “I announced the 9 Mile Mercantile in April and it created a lot of excitement,” she said. “Everyone can’t wait to see what we have in store… literally.”

She has also been humbled by the community’s support of the store’s Founding Members Program, which helps offset startup expenses such as signage, security, and point-of-sale equipment. “We have had over 50 people donate and have been able to check a lot of opening costs off of our list,” Thornton said. The enthusiasm has also created one unexpected challenge. “My biggest challenge so far has been having to decline interested vendors at this time,” she said. “The initial interest was overwhelming in the best way possible.” Balancing the demands of opening a new business while continuing to operate a busy salon has also kept Thornton busy.

“As much as you think you have it all figured out and organized, there are a million other things that pop up along the way,” she said. Above all, Thornton hopes visitors feel at home when they walk through the doors. “Like a neighbor,” she said. “As much as this community is growing, it still has a small-town feel, and one of my favorite parts of being a business owner is catching up with everyone and seeing them do the same with familiar faces.” Looking ahead, Thornton said she hopes to continue expanding community events and eventually grow into an even larger space that can showcase additional local vendors. “The dreams are endless,” she said.

“Over the next five years I hope to create more events and possibly move into a larger space to showcase more local vendors and our community.” For anyone considering opening a small business of their own, Thornton offers simple advice. “Research, research, research,” she said. “There are a ton of rules, regulations, and laws to learn about, and the more prepared you can be, the better.

You also really want to hone in on your community and their needs.” As opening day approaches, Thornton said she hopes 9 Mile Mercantile becomes more than just another retail store. “We truly want this space to be a missing