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For all of its rapid retail and restaurant growth, 12 South hasn't done much to improve the basic amenities, says neighborhood resident and singer-songwriter Holly Williams. Until recently, she was pining for a convenient place to pick up a dozen eggs, some milk, and maybe a nice greeting card or a baby gift on the fly.
'I've always wanted to open a general store for the modern-day tastemaker,” she says; she also owns the H. Audrey clothing boutique in Green Hills.
Enter White's Mercantile, which Williams opened late last year in a former gas station at the southern end of the avenue. She named the space for her mother's parents, whose eclectic taste inspired the mix of goods. 'Instead of running all over town to pick up olive oil, a great sweater, and a chic dog bed, I opened a place where I could find all of my favorite things,” she says.
At launch, the shelves were stocked with locally made products like lotions by Thistle Farms, pancake mix from My Friend Who Loves to Cook, and stylish cutting boards and rolling pins from Board & Bread. There are also cashmere sweaters, a small selection of denim, and scarves for women. (Williams says they'll be ramping up with more men's gear early this year.) They've started offering a limited supply of edible kitchen staples, too: milk, eggs, bacon, poultry, and cheese all sourced from local purveyors.
For Williams, a spot like this is in her blood. Her great-great-grandfather once owned a mercantile in Louisiana. 'I love a place where you can pick up a little bit of everything. There's something in here for everyone,” she says.
White's Mercantile 2908 12th Ave. S. 615-750-5379 whitesmercantile.com