Why is Merchant Village in Somerset closing in May?

There's a famous quote that says, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

That’s the same mindset that Merchant Village owner Alecia Zimmerman has, nearly five years since she opened the vendor store at 1534 N. Center Ave. in the Somerset Commons shopping center.

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On March 2, Zimmerman posted a notice at the store’s Facebook page to announce that Merchant Village would close permanently on May 14 because the building’s owner was entering a rental agreement with another business interested in the 20,000 square-foot retail space.

A short history of Merchant Village

Since September of 2018, Merchant Village has provided a year-round, indoor retail space where customers could stop in to look through and purchase a variety of items offered by more than 200 active local vendors, including vintage furniture, household items and memorabilia, handmade crafts, jewelry and food products.

“There’s a lot of local talent, and I thought an indoor venue that was open year-round, where they didn’t have to quit their jobs and sit here and tend to their merchandise, would be a win-win for everyone,” Zimmerman said.

But Merchant Village nearly ended there, as an idea.

“When we first considered this location, a decision was made to not move forward due to the high rent and commitments,” Zimmerman shared on her post. “(Those commitments) would have excluded the vendors that were actually making their products, the ones this whole idea was started for.

“An offer was made that we couldn’t refuse, (with the) understanding there was not a guaranteed long-term commitment, so we decided to move forward for whatever time we had. I cannot express enough appreciation to all of our customers for their support of our local vendors!”

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Why is Merchant Village closing?

Zimmerman told the Daily American that, to her knowledge, Merchant Village is the only space in the building that is affected.

“I don’t believe the other vendors (in the building) were under the same sort of terms,” she said. “I had an option of that high-end, long-term lease. We had that option all along, but it was never a consideration.

“They (the owners) were looking for a long-term commitment. This is an anchor location, like Tractor Supply (at the opposite end of the building). They are looking for a long-term, anchor commitment. It would have never worked.”

Somerset Commons is managed by The Mosites Company, a real estate development and property management company based in Pittsburgh. The Daily American contacted the company for more information regarding the new tenant but has not yet received a reply.

“The landlords have been fantastic. I cannot say enough about the owners of the building,” Zimmerman said. “They’ve been fantastic to work with, and I do appreciate the opportunity they gave us for as long as they did. They are making a good business and financial decision, as any one of us would.

“This is their business, they have to make a good business decision, and any one of us would make that decision.”

Going out on top

She said she understands how vendors and customers of Merchant Village may be disappointed at the news of its closing, but she believes that “everything happens the way it’s supposed to.”

“I’m a very positive person, I can always see the good in things,” she said. “I want to look at it from (the view) that they didn’t have to give us this opportunity, (so) I appreciate the opportunity that they gave us and that everyone benefitted from.  To look at it in any negative way, to me, makes no sense.”

Moving Merchant Village to another rental space wasn’t a feasible option, either, considering how higher costs and other current issues in the retail sector might affect the vendors.

“Like I said, I think everything happens the way it’s supposed to, considering there’s so many factors,” Zimmerman said. “Had there been another equally perfect location, I may have considered it, if it was for sale. To move all of this into another rental location, I don’t know that I would have considered that. But the bottom line is, there is no ideal rental location in the near vicinity, and to go onto a back street into some basement location, no way. Absolutely not.

“So all in all, I just felt like maybe this was just all happening exactly the way it was supposed to, because we were going to go out at the top as opposed to an unknown.”

Merchant Village exceeded expectations

Zimmerman said she looks back on the past five years at Merchant Village with no regrets.

“The amount of items we had, the amount of vendors that we had, the variety, the awards we won, the compliments that we continue to get … I don’t know what my expectations were, but I know they exceeded it in all areas,” she said.

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Personally, she’s planning to enjoy her first summer off in years and then see what comes next.

“This was great, it was,” she said. “I got to know so many wonderful people that I would have never gotten to know had we not done this. I’m glad anyone that benefitted from it did, for the amount of time that they could.

“I have no idea what the future has (in store), but I’m excited to see.”

She also would gladly support anyone who decided to open a similar vendor store in another location.  

“I would go check them out, for sure,” she said. “I would be happy to provide consultation and guidance and I would shop there. I would love to continue supporting our local vendors, absolutely.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Merchant Village in Somerset to close May 14, new anchor tenant expected