Warrenville shoppers will have a new reason to visit downtown this fall: the Warrenville Mercantile pop-up market is expanding from two storefronts to eight and planning a grand opening weekend Thursday, September 10, through Sunday, September 13, at Leone Schmidt Heritage Park, 28W164 Warrenville Road.
The market soft-launched with two custom-built vendor storefronts and a ribbon cutting on November 1, 2025. The expansion to eight units marks the project's transition from a pilot to a full-scale, city-backed retail venue running through the holiday season.
The Warrenville City Council has approved the purchase of six additional storefront units, according to a city announcement published July 13. The units are expected to arrive in mid-to-late July, the announcement said. Local builder Tim Cosgrove is finishing the interiors of the two existing storefronts to prepare for the September opening.
A $25,000 grant from DuPage County's Member Initiative Program is reimbursing the city for start-up costs.
From soft launch to full season
The Mercantile features custom-built shop spaces for rotating local vendors. Beyond retail, the city's announcement outlines mentorship opportunities and partnerships with local financial institutions to help entrepreneurs learn retail skills and eventually move into a permanent storefront.
Amy Emery, Warrenville's community and economic development director, connected the project to the site's commercial roots at the market's November 2025 ribbon cutting, which marked its two-storefront soft launch. "This exact location was originally developed by Hiram Leonard, who opened an apothecary here in 1842 and it expanded over the years for dry goods and for groceries and for hardware and just general retail operations," Emery said.
The city acquired the Leone Schmidt Heritage Park property in 2011 and named it for Warrenville's first historian, who wrote six books about the community's history.
What's ahead
The inaugural season runs Thursday, September 10, through Saturday, December 6, featuring curated vendors, seasonal programming, and holiday shopping. The grand opening weekend will include a performance by Katie Kostner on Saturday, September 12. A specific time has not been announced.
Longer-term, the city's announcement references a possible dining pavilion and a flex pavilion that could host classes, small concerts, and community activities.
Vendor details and additional programming have not yet been released.
