Home & Gift Department
Our Homes Should Be Healthy, Too. We strive to carry beautiful and practical items, as well as good books that inspire our sense of community, teach us how to heal ourselves, and show us how to make the best foods for our families. Click the Home & Gift Overview page on the left to learn more or browse through their latest posts below.
We had so much fun at the Kaw Valley Seed Fair. We took our Seed Savers seed rack and our selection of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds as well as tons of goodies and info for the folks in our community to peruse. Over 1,200 people passed through the fair wher...
The Merc is going to have a booth at the Kaw Valley Seed Project Fair this Saturday! We will have a variety of seeds from both Seed Savers Exchange and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, gardening accessories, sunhats, harvest baskets, and more...
Let your friends, family, or sweetheart know that you're thinking of them this year with a gift from The Merc. Fair-trade journals, re-usable tumblers, and Shoyeido love incense are just a few ways to say I love you. Be sure to get som...
Lisa Nelick lives in the country outside of Baldwin City and spends time scouring the woods for moss to put in her sweet little terrariums. Lisa has a meticulous eye for the very tiny. She creates beach scenes, serenity gardens with itty bitty paths and ...
We all knew back in the day that our General Merchandise manager would go far, but we never knew exactly in what direction. Last week Harper's Magazine published Becca Evanhoe's fictional piece, "Snake." This was a big first for Becca. ...
Our Homes Should Be Healthy, Too. We strive to carry beautiful,practical and ethical items, as well as good books that inspire our conscious community, teach us how to heal ourselves, and show us how to make the best foods for our families.
Whether you’re looking for local flowers, handmade or fair trade gifts, green toys, a local cookbook or safe art supplies for your kids, we have what you need when it comes to making conscientious choices for your home. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff will guide you to the gifts and gadgets you’re looking for.
When You Shop for Home Items, Gifts, or Flowers at The Merc, You'll See:
- Our books and magazines are hand-selected to reflect the interests of
- our shoppers
- We give preference to producers that are local and fair-trade and to materials
- that are recycled, compostable and sustainably sourced
- We carry handy kitchen gadgets, like veggie peelers and food mills, that
- compliment practical food-prep needs
- We work only with local growers to supply our flower bouquets and
- potted succulents
- We love hand-made local cards, eco-friendly beeswax candles locally
- printed t-shirts and reusable tote bags
Books We Believe In
We’re passionate about our offerings of unique, hand-picked books on popular topics: vegetarian, vegan, raw food, traditional, international cookbooks, gluten-free and special dietary needs cookbooks, slow food, food politics, green living, holistic parenting, complimentary medicine, do-it-yourself, regional authors and children’s books. Looking for a cookbook to support your gluten-free diet? Our staff can show you our selection and make a recommendation.
Flowers and Seeds
Need help finding the right heirloom vegetables to grow in your garden? Ask one of our experienced gardeners to help you with your seed selection. Want a gorgeous locally grown bouquet of flowers at a great price? Look for our seasonal flowers at the front of the store.
Stop by The Merc's Deli counter for made-to-order sandwiches (hot and cold),salads, soups and fresh smoothies, coffee or espresso drinks.
M-F
M-SatOur pizzas are created daily on our house made crust with only the freshest ingredients. Every morning our skilled cooks carefully choose two types of pizza to prepare. Check back daily to find out what's hot and ready today.
M-Sat
Stop by and we will make you a sandwich made to order using our finest meats and cheeses that we also sell for you to take and make at home. Our choose one of our classic Merc Specialty Sandwiches.
Our salad bar is fresh daily with all of the fixings you'll want. We even make our own salad dressings in house.
If you are on the go or just want something easy for dinner tonight. Grab a favorite today!
Take your tongue for a walk on the wild side with this zippy salad featuring local Central Soy tofu & house-made miso vinaigrette. Bright citrus notes set off an umami tsunami whose earthy tones you can ride all the way to a healthy filling lunch. In the evening, try pairing it with some ruby trout from our seafood counter for a meal in minutes. This is one salad you can enjoy around the clock!
Treat your heart and your sweet tooth with this masterful mash-up of flavors. Good-for-you tart cherry juice intertwines with luscious pomegranate and organic chocolate syrups, and then the combination is brought to bubbling life with La Croix sparkling water. Whether the weather is playing at winter or spring, this'll put a pep in your step and make your taste buds sing!
Join us in welcoming an old favorite with a brand new twist: Our beloved chocolate cheesecake is back, and it brought along a brand new crust. That's right, our bakers are stepping up their chocolate game with house-made chocolate graham crackers for the crust. This double chocolate combo will have you hooked!
Co-op Calendar events are listed below. To view all Merc events, click on the View Full Calendar link.
7-9 pm
After a busy day we all want to enjoy a simple healthy dinner. Join Hilary in sampling three dinners that take about 30 minutes each to prepare. First up, a simple Fritatta that includes Vibrant Greens served with Polenta. Next we’ll explore the infinite varieties of Quesadillas - filled and grilled, always with lots of vegetables. Finally, a super simple Curry Dinner to make at home thanks to coconut milk and prepared curry paste. Hilary will serve this with exotic and simple Black Rice. All done in 30!
Taught by: Hilary Kass, MPH
Location: The Merc's Community Classroom
Cost: $18 per person, $16 for Merc Owners & Seniors
2-4 pm
Warm your winter kitchen with Melt-in-Your-Mouth Hot Cross Buns; Fabulous Yeasted Coffee Cake; and Spectacular Made-from-Scratch Cinnamon Rolls. What better way to spend a cold Saturday afternoon then in the Merc kitchen with Mari Ruck teaching. Guaranteed to be entertaining, informative, and delicious. The tea and coffee will be brewing.
Taught by: Mari Ruck
Location: The Merc's Community Classroom
Cost: $18 per person, $16 for Merc Owners & Seniors
7-9 pm
We’ll travel the globe with all new recipes featuring the humble bean. We’ll start the evening with a delicious Pureed White Bean Spread served on Crostini. Then on to simple Black Bean Tostadas with trimmings, and an Instant Tamale Pie topped with Sour Cream & Guacamole. We’ll switch cuisines with a savory Greek Pizza starring garbanzo beans, and end with a beautiful Minestrone & Parmesan Biscuit Pot Pie. Each participant will get to take home a complimentary can of Eden beans to get you started cooking.
Taught by: Nancy O'Connor, MS Ed
Location: The Merc's Community Classroom
Cost: $18 per person, $16 for Merc Owners & Seniors
7-9 pm
Take a little trip around the world with Chef Nancy as she shares her love of curries, accompanied with flatbreads for dipping, scooping and wrapping! First we’ll make Fresh Corn Flatbread with Chiles (similar to a corn tortilla by way of India), perfect for eating with Spicy Chopped Tomato-Cucumber Salad. Then we’ll sample fresh hot Puri (Indian Fried Flatbread) with Sambhar Masala (Aromatic Mixed Vegetable Curry). We’ll finish in Ethiopia with Injera (a soft griddle baked flatbread) and Doro Wot, a traditional Ethiopian chicken curry. And, of course, a surprise sweet.
Taught by: Chef Nancy Stark
Location: The Merc's Community Classroom
Cost: $20 per person, $18 for Merc Owners & Seniors
7-9 pm
The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters is a culinary classic. Join Paige in her second class preparing recipes from this very famous cookbook, starting with Long Cooked Broccoli (served on a croûton). Next you’ll enjoy delicious and seasonal Curly Kale & Potato Soup, followed by Moroccan Sweet Potato Salad and a very Classic Beef Stew. The meal will be complete with a 1-2-3-4 Cake (a simple and perfect butter cake). This is a class focused on simple foods prepared with excellent ingredients using classic techniques. A winner!
Taught by: Chef Paige Vandegrift
Location: The Merc's Community Classroom
Cost: $20 per person, $18 for Merc Owners & Seniors
7-9 pm
Join Chef Nancy as we explore the delicious world of Thai food with a batch of new dishes. We’ll begin with Superfast Steamed Fish with Chile and Lime, with a side of Green Bean, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad. Next up: Homemade Curry Paste as the base for Rustic Red Curry Beef, along with Coconut Rice and Stir-fry Broccoli with Crispy Garlic. And of course, a sweet ending!
Taught by: Chef Nancy Stark
Location: The Merc's Community Classroom
Cost: $20 per person, $18 for Merc Owners & Seniors
7-9 pm
Join Paige for a new outlook on winter salads as she works her magic with a variety of vinaigrettes, a mixture of warm and cold salads and lots of winter fruits and vegetables. You’ll enjoy a Salad of Shredded Romaine & Radicchio with Apples, Asian Pears & Buttermilk Dressing; Winter Pasta Salad with Cauliflower and Walnut Pesto; Warm Cabbage Salad with Smoked Ham & Goat Cheese; Refreshing Fennel & Carrot Salad; and an Avocado & Citrus Salad with Green Olives. A true cure for the winter blues.
Taught by: Chef Paige Vandegrift
Location: The Merc's Community Classroom
Cost: $20 per person, $18 for Merc Owners & Seniors