Port’s Mercantile Plaza to close

Mercantile Plaza, the anchor tenant in the Boerner Mercantile Building on Franklin Street in downtown Port Washington, is closing its doors next month.

“It’s bittersweet,” Julie Christiansen, who owns the business with her husband Mike, said Monday. “It was always part of the plan, but it happened a little earlier than we had planned.”

But, she said, the couple is happy that they reached their goal of creating a fine arts gallery and store that also served as a community center.

“We have so many people saying ‘Thank you for being here.’” People from out of town saying I didn’t expect a fine art gallery in a small town like this. It’s become a destination.”

At the same time, she said, it has become a hub in the community.

“We have people on Monday coming in with their knitting club and guys on Saturday to chit chat or catch up,” Christiansen said. “The lounge was always open to the public, and we had regulars who liked the quiet.”

But, Christiansen said, the business was nearing the end of its three-year lease and the landlord, Haley Dobre, asked if they would be willing to vacate if she found another tenant before the end of its term.

They said yes, and Dobre found a new tenant — Bon Bon Belle, which has bridal shops in Burlington and Madison — so the gallery will be closing Sept. 14.

Christiansen said she and her husband always planned to establish the business and hand it over to an artist or group of artists to continue.

“We wanted to make it viable and known and be an anchor for the community, and we’ve done that,” she said. 

Several of the artists whose pieces were displayed at Mercantile Plaza are looking for a new space in Port, Christiansen said, so it’s likely Port will continue to have a fine arts presence.

While some people were skeptical of the gallery’s chances for survival, Christiansen said it has done well.

The couple’s goal for the business was to break even at three years, and they did that in 18 months, she said.

“It speaks to the quality of the arts and artists in southeastern Wisconsin. And we’ve proven people here will support it,” she said.

The business was also a philanthropic venture, she added, noting that they donated space for many nonprofit organizations — including the Port Washington Historical Society, Port Main Street Inc. and Paint on Port — to hold events.

“It was a short-term adventure. Our goal now is to be retired,” Christiansen said.

The couple plan to become snowbirds, spending winters down south and summers in Wisconsin.

“I always say every ending is a new beginning,” Christiansen said.

Bon Bon Belle did not respond to an email seeking information about its decision to open in Port, but Kristina Tadeo, executive director of Port Main Street Inc., said the bridal shop is a destination.

“I think it’s going to be a really cool thing and draw a lot of people to Port Washington,” she said.