The Mercantile on 25th hosted their first drag brunch in June of 2025, today they host the once every month. The second Sunday following the first Friday of each month, The Mercantile hosts the “Bussin Drag Brunch” from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The brunch centers on a drag performance headed by Lilia Maughn. “It’s a 2-hour show and just typically kind of a variety of drag performances. We’ve had drag queens, drag kings,” The Mercantile co-owner Nick Morris said. During the performance, attendees are free to order anything on the menu.
“It is a family-friendly event, like all of the material that they perform and everything, you know, they make sure it’s family-friendly,” Morris said. Their most recent performance sold out its outdoor patio to 75 attendees on Mother’s Day.
“Typically, it’s such a positive response that when we do it outside, we will get people on the outside of the fence kind of standing at the sidewalk gathering and wishing they could come in,” co-owner of The Mercantile Lance Smith said.
Events like Bussin Drag Brunch show just how much The Mercantile has accomplished. It also shows just how much the building has changed over the years.
The Mercantile was originally a bus station that opened in 1940 during World War II. The building changed hands over the years before ending up vacant for a long period of time. Until it was acquired by Roosters Brewing Company in 2021, where they considered the possibility of using it for office space.
“This building came up for sale but knowing 25th Street deserves a much more activated space than an office, the immediate thought was to reach out to the boys at Kaffe Mercantile to see if they would be happy with a partner situation,” said Kim Bowsher, Chief Executive Officer of Roosters Hospitality.
Roosters Brewing Company collaborated with Beehive Cheese and Kaffe Mercantile, who wanted to revitalize the building. Nick Morris and Lance Smith joined. “Lance and myself are kind of the majority and we’re a little bit more hands-on with the management,” Morris said.
Beehive Cheese joined the project and with help from Ogden City’s Business Information Center’s loan program The Mercantile opened its cafe doors in Feb 2024, going from an abandoned building to a center of community.
The Mercantile also hosts painting classes, and coordinates with community events.
“We also have drag karaoke on the first Friday for the Friday Art Stroll that happens every first Friday,” Morris said.
The next drag brunch is coming up on June 14th. “It is a ticketed event, and the tickets are posted on an Eventbrite link, which is on our website,” Morris said, “The door’s open at 11:30. It is helpful if you get here early and get your orders in early. Helps facilitate orders better in the kitchen.”
