Kirsten and Andres Oviedo own City Mercantile.
“We’re going to have one large barn filled to the brim with Christmas vendors,” she said. “We will also have an outdoor marketplace with food vendors, coffee and specialty holiday drinks, visits with Santa and boutique trucks.”
Nearly 100 vendors will feature guest and holiday home décor at the Comfort & Joy event.
Oviedo noted that visitors are typically women who are enjoying a day together.
“It is moms and daughters or friends who haven’t gotten together since school started,” she said. “They are shoppers who enjoy having authentic home goods. Someone who is interested in decorating or DYI, and want more than you can find in a big box store.”
City Mercantile has two locations in Lebanon at the fairgrounds and 4951 Northwest Parkway in Hilliard, near Columbus.
“We care a lot about whether our shoppers have a good time,” Oviedo said. “In starting our own brand and launching City Mercantile, we want it to be an excuse for people to get out and do something with people they love.”
One of the sponsors for the Comfort & Joy event is the Vintage Shops of Greater Dayton. The group was spearheaded by Charity Yingling, owner of C & C Studios Vintage and Paper Goods, in 2018. Also known as VSGD, the group is comprised of seven vintage shop owners.
Various members of the VSGD will participate in the event.
“If you want to see some of the vintage shops all in one venue, this is an opportunity to do that,” Yingling said.
VSGD’s goal is to increase awareness and foot traffic to each shop’s individual brick and mortar businesses.
“It is going to be the City Mercantile’s biggest event of the year, and we wanted to gain exposure for the group as a whole,” Yingling said. “We want customers and shoppers to know there are local places they can shop for nostalgic Christmas gifts that are a little more unique for holiday gifts.”
Santa visits will be available for children 10 a.m.-noon Saturday at no additional cost.
“It’s more important now than it has ever been to support local holiday shopping,” Oviedo said. “It has been a rough year, and our vendors really appreciate it when people visit our locations.”
HOW TO GO
What: The City Mercantile’s Christmas Market, “Comfort & Joy”
Where: Warren County Fairgrounds, 665 N. Broadway St, Lebanon.
When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16 and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17
Cost: $12 entry on Friday, $10 entry on Saturday and $5 entry on Sunday; Children ages 12 and younger are free
More info: thecitymercantile.com
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