Ogden’s 25th Street will get a delicious makeover as Beehive Cheese, Kaffe Mercantile and Roosters Brewing Company come together to open The Mercantile, a restaurant and bar for coffee enthusiasts, wine connoisseurs and foodies alike.
The Mercantile is located in the historic Union Bus Depot building, which was originally constructed in the 1940s. It was used as the Greyhound station until the 1990s and the space has been carefully restored and decorated for The Mercantile.
The building was even gifted a real vintage Greyhound bus seat that has been reupholstered and placed in the eatery for use.
The building was purchased in 2021, after sitting empty for several years, to become payroll offices and other company spaces, but the company collectively decided to build something unique out of the depot. Kym Buttschardt, the co-owner of Roosters Brewing Co., recognized that Ogden needs more places to come together.
“Knowing that 25th Street needs life and not just office spaces, we wanted to make something really cool out of the front of this building,” Buttschardt said. “We knew immediately who we wanted to ask to join us in making something super special down here.”
The decision to open the cafe was a deliberate one for Roosters Brewing Co. The company purchased the depot with the intention of deepening its roots in the Ogden community and how that positively impacts these companies.
The sale of the building became final just in time for Valentine’s Day weekend.
“It just felt right that we’d close on Valentine’s weekend, since our whole plan was to dig even deeper into our love for Ogden and what that means for our company,” Buttschardt said.
The eatery is not just a cafe full of pastries and coffee; it also offers beverages for wine and beer enthusiasts. Sprawled out among the many seats are table games such as tic-tac-toe. This offers the business the opportunity to host pairing events and cheese-centric educational events, making the location an exciting addition to Ogden’s culinary scene.
The Mercantile’s menu offers local flavors and ingredients that make Ogden’s culinary scene unique. The cafe’s menu includes a variety of breakfast and lunch options from biscuits and gravy to a reuben on rye, as well as a selection of wine and beer to complement the cheese boards.
The mixed use eatery hosts a full espresso bar, offering a range of classic cafe options, including the Kaffe Egg Sandwich, scrambles, turnovers and scones.
However, what sets The Mercantile apart is its lunch and late-night menu, featuring salads, sandwiches and cheese boards that show Beehive Cheese’s award-winning cheddars and Roosters Brewing Co.’s culinary and local beer expertise.
“Our motto is ‘making friends with cheese,’ and The Mercantile project is the brainchild of the great friends we have made through our adventures in cheese,” Britton Welsh, president of Beehive Cheese, said.
The combined owners are excited to be part of the Ogden community and are committed to creating a welcoming and exciting space for all.
“We want The Mercantile to be a place where everyone feels welcome,” Buttschardt said. “Whether you’re a local or just passing through, we hope you’ll stop by and say hello.”
Just as excited to open up and share new culinary experiences with the Ogden community, the co-owner of Kaffe Mercantile and partner, Lance Smith, appreciates the opportunity to be included.
Kaffe Mercantile is a self-described neighborhood coffee shop with two locations, one in Ogden and the other in South Ogden, creating craft coffee and serving an array of pastries.
“We just feel like we’re the kids that got picked for the team,” Smith said. “We’re so excited to be in with the cool kids. We just love Beehive and Roosters so much, it’s an honor to get to do this all together.”
The Mercantile is a place where people can come together, whether it’s for a coffee, a work session or a glass of wine and a cheese board. During the month of February, The Mercantile had soft open hours. Starting in March it will be open seven days a week. More information can be found on The Mercantile’s instagram page @themercantile_on25th.
