Eight local vendors will begin selling sourdough, crystals, custom apparel and more when the Warrenville Mercantile holds its grand opening weekend Thursday, Sept. 10, through Sunday, Sept. 13, at Leone Schmidt Heritage Park.
The seasonal pop-up market at 28W164 Warrenville Road features custom-built storefronts that will rotate vendors through Dec. 6, according to the city's event listing. Five vendors are confirmed for opening weekend: Bada Bling Crystals & Crystal Candles, Bread and More, Crow and Moon Enchantments, Hey Turbo Collective, and KAE Total Beauty.
The full 2026 roster adds three more businesses, according to the Mercantile's city page: A Little Bit Feral (handcrafted sourdough and baked goods), MamaCoco Mobile Cuisine, and The Spin of It. Some vendors will be present all season while others rotate in for special weekends or limited runs.
All eight storefronts are built. The city confirmed installation was complete as of Aug. 12.
Chicagoland-area musician Katie Kostner will perform live Saturday, Sept. 12, from noon to 3 p.m.
Hours run Thursday and Friday from 3 to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the season.
$25,000 county grant backs the project
A $25,000 grant from DuPage County's Member Initiative Program is reimbursing the city for start-up costs, according to a city news update.
The Mercantile held a soft launch in fall 2025, with a ribbon cutting Nov. 1, 2025. Amy Emery, the city's community and economic development director, spoke at that ceremony about the site's long commercial history.
"I believe as we've kind of looked at the history of this site, we are bringing history back to life again …" Emery said at the November 2025 ribbon cutting. She noted that Hiram Leonard opened an apothecary on the same spot in 1842, and the property later housed a post office, a carriage trimming shop and Player Dairy before the city acquired it in 2011.
Mentorship and future plans
Beyond retail, city plans call for mentorship opportunities and partnerships with local financial institutions to help vendors learn retail skills and eventually move into permanent storefronts.
The city's project page also outlines future additions to the Heritage Park site: a dining pavilion and a flex pavilion for classes, small concerts and community activities. No timeline has been announced for those additions.
Vendor applications for 2026 are closed. Businesses interested in the 2027 season can email [email protected].
