20
Jul-2018

Home elements focus of Main Street Mercantile

Erika Wibby Mitchell recently opened Main Street Mercantile in Northeast Harbor. PHOTO BY DICK BROOM

For nearly four decades, Redfield Artisans Gallery was a mainstay of Main Street in Northeast Harbor. Its final season ended last fall when owner Rita Redfield retired.

Now, Erika Wibby Mitchell has opened Main Street Mercantile in the former gallery space.

“It’s a fun mix of a little bit of everything,” she said. “There’s clothing, children’s toys, housewares, fancy foods, personal care products, some books.”

Mitchell, who has had a successful career in real estate, said she had wanted to open a store in Northeast Harbor for a long time and began looking for a space on Main Street a few years ago. She plans to stay open year-round.

At the back of the shop and to the right is a small room that, years ago, was part of Redfield’s restaurant. Mitchell has turned it into an art gallery with a series of changing shows scheduled through the middle of September.

Mitchell and her husband, Aaron, have three children who attend Mount Desert Elementary School, which is just a few blocks from both their home and the new shop.

“I’ve always thought it would be nice that they would be able to just walk down here after school and visit,” Mitchell said. “That’s kind of fun.”

Dick Broom covers the towns of Mount Desert and Southwest Harbor, Mount Desert Island High School and the school system board and superintendent's office. He enjoys hiking with his golden retriever and finding new places for her to swim. [email protected]