AMERICAN DREAM MERCANTILE, a throwback to the days of the all-purpose general store, will host their grand opening in Ridgefield on Sat., June 29 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
AMERICAN DREAM CO-OWNER Jeff Anderson, along with co-owner Marilou Vavricka hope to give shoppers throughout North Clark County a place where, “They can stock up on basics and feel right at home.”
Once upon a time, before warehouse stores and supermarkets became the norm, every town had an all-purpose general store for folks to get the things they need. In Ridgefield, Jeff Anderson and Marilou Vavricka are opening a new store on Sat., June 29 that harkens back to that era.
“Being 50 years old now, I remember the days when the average shopping trip involved coming to a general store and getting what you needed, and we thought it was a time to bring that back to a city like Ridgefield,” said Anderson, of his store, American Dream Mercantile.
While American Dream Mercantile will specialize more in home improvement and decor items, Vavricka added they will have other things that let shoppers cover their “basic” needs.
“Back in the old days, you could go to a store like ours and while you buy lumber and tools, you could also get things like bread, butter, eggs, coffee and milk,” said Vavricka. “We’re not going to be a full grocery store, nor are we trying to be, but rather than have to go to two or three stores to get all these things, you can do it at one place.”
American Dream Mercantile will also have antiques, garden and pet supplies and other items traditionally found in most general or all-purpose stores. With a combined 60 years working in the mercantile business throughout Washington State, the goal of Anderson and Vavricka is to bring a variety of wares in a more home-style environment.
“We wanted to break up the sterility of big box stores,” said Anderson. “Not that there’s anything wrong with those stores or what they do, but there’s something about walking into a store like this and feeling more comfortable and at ease while you’re shopping.”
Taking over the old Double J Tack Store, Vavricka said it was in good enough condition that turning it around and getting it ready for business wasn’t overwhelming.
“It did need some paint and touch-up work, but the carpet was in good shape and it already had an atmosphere that we could build off of to create the farm-style look and feel we wanted,” added Anderson.
So far, the initial response from local neighbors has been positive, and in terms of location, American Dream Mercantile can cater to more than just Ridgefield shoppers.
“We understand we’re probably not going to get much traffic from Vancouver because there’s simply too much between them and us for them to come up,” said Anderson. “But, we’re thinking about people in smaller towns in North Clark County like Yacolt, Amboy, La Center, Battle Ground and Ariel and being a place for them.”
American Dream Mercantile will be open Mondays-Saturdays from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., and the Grand Opening celebration will take place on Sat., June 29 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
“We’re going to have giveaways, games for the kids, food and of course, lots of specials for people to come check out,” said Anderson.
What Anderson and Vavricka ultimately hope for is that American Dream Mercantile will become part of the Ridgefield and Clark County community over the next several years.
“We want to be a destination that has a nice local feel and people can feel at home at,” said Anderson.
“We’ve even had a lot of guys coming in and tell us they already like the old-time feel we’ve created,” added Vavricka.
American Dream Mercantile is located at 1912 NE 179th St., in Ridgefield. For more information, call (360) 953-8641.
