Downtown Shuffle

 

The Mercantile, 11 East Pleasant Street, Amherst 

Well that didn't take long.

The former location of Food For Thought Books, a local institution that expired the first week of June, will host its first new business in 38 years.  But hardly a fledgling business.

The Mercantile is moving from their nearby location after 40+ years, citing the "upheaval" caused by the impending sale of the next door Carriage Shops.

108 North Pleasant Street

The adjacent Carriage Shops have been in flux since last winter when local hometown hero developers Archipelago Investments, LLC offered the original property (a motel) developer, Jerry Gates, the hefty sum of $4.6 million for the entire complex.

But Mr. Gates only owns 60% of the units, as the rest were individually sold as business condos. Numerous businesses have already relocated fearing the impending sale.

The Mercantile is not even part of the Carriage Shops, but still close enough to feel the "upheaval."

Amherst Carriage Shops, 233 North Pleasant Street, Amherst