Guys. I have so much info to tell you I feel like I’m jumping from subject to subject. I know yesterday I said that today’s post was going to lay out all of the hurdles that we had to deal with buying The Merc but when I got thinking about it, I realized that what I really need to share today is a semi brief history of the Santa Clara Merc so that if you aren’t from Southern Utah, you can catch the spirit of The Merc and how important it is to save this building.
The Merc (short for Mercantile) is one of the most historically significant buildings in Santa Clara. When the Mormon pioneers settled Santa Clara a few members started a co-op in a small room in one of their houses. The business grew and in 1928 a modern store was built by Adolph Hafen.
After some time (I’m not sure how much, I can’t seem to find a record of it!) an adobe brick garage was added onto the store. Gas pumps were added in front and it was the center of bustling Santa Clara. This was long before I-15 went through St. George and the only way to get to Vegas/California etc. was to drive through Santa Clara. The Merc was the last stop to get gas and supplies.
There was a service station in the garage (the brick side) of the building for a few years. It was then used as a warehouse for a produce company.
In 1945 The Merc was sold to Adolph’s son Horace and his wife Ethel. They took out the gas pumps and added onto the east side of the building to create a larger grocery department. In 1956 the Santa Clara Post Office was put into the garage side of The Merc (it stayed there for about 10 years) In the picture below you can see where the addition was made to the east side of the building.
Horace and Ethel’s son Doug ran the store after his father’s death and his mother’s retirement at the age of 72 in 1985.
It was sold to a man named Tom in 1986, it had been in the Hafen family for 124 years. Tom worked really hard at making it a success but there just grew to be too much competition from larger grocery stores and he closed The Merc in 2000. I’m assuming this is when the grocery store with all of its penny candy glory ended.
The details of what happened to The Merc from 2000-2016 isn’t heavily recorded. From what I can tell its been a lot of random things, none of which were very successful. It was sold to Ernie (the fantastic man that I bought it from) a year ago. He had plans to turn it into a art gallery and black box theater for his non-profit The Difiore Center.
Ernie did some heavy demolition. If you noticed in the pictures that I’ve shared there are tons of wires hanging from the trusses. That’s because all of the amazing character was covered up with drop ceilings and sheetrock. Ernie and all of his hard work uncovered the magic that is The Merc.
Here are some same angle before and afters of the demo:
In September 2016 he decided not to move forward with renovations and listed it with Meghan, and that’s where I came into the picture!
I know that so many of you from Santa Clara have memories and probably more details to add to this super brief overview, I would LOVE to have you add them in the comments below and I will update the post! Specifically do you know when the windows in the garage were closed off?
I am loving all of the questions that you guys have been asking, I’m working on tomorrow’s post to answer them!!
Thanks for being so excited about this journey, its going to be a good one!
You have no idea how much I needed this update today! I LOVE that you have gone so far outside the box, you’re not even in the post office anymore!
I cannot WAIT to see all of your updates on turning this into your perfect home. You inspire me so much- I currently live in a rental townhouse and while it’s not exactly what I would have chosen, you have given me all kinds of great ideas for how to make it my very own 🙂 Fortunately I have a very chill landlord.
PLEASE KEEP THE UPDATES COMING, FAST!!!!
In 2013 when we bought our house a man named Gordon had his wrought iron business in the shop, and I understand it had been there for a few years. He and his son did our wrought iron fence for us and lives in the area. When we went there they had wrought iron pieces of art for sale in the westernmost part of the garage building and then the rest of the garage building they had dedicated to selling antique decorations. In the western part of the store front was a separate antique store. I think they closed up shop in 2015 and the separate antique store closed in 2016. Hope this info helps fill in some blanks!
My head is swimming with excitement and questions! The biggest one being…how does it become a home?! What about privacy? What about a yard? What about privacy in the yard? It looks amazing though, I can’t WAIT to see what you do to it.
Oooh you’re really going to have to deliver on Halloween now. Everyone will be expecting throwback penny candy!!!
Since I’m an urban planning grad student, I’m curious about zoning. Are you running into issues with turning what I’m assuming is a commercially zoned property into residential? Are there setback issues with that? Parking requirements? And a less nerdy design question, is there any way of restoring the original brick building facades? Can’t wait to hear more details! I must say I’m way more excited about following this project than I was with your plan to build new (I not so secretly kind of hate new construction, thought I understand it’s what works best for a lot of people).
Agree with this! The MERC has vintage revivals written all over it. The new construction seemed out of character for you
I also work in urban planning and wondered about the zoning and also if there were any issues dealing with potential site contamination given it was a gas station and/or had other potentially hazardous uses over the years. It’ll be very interesting to see these issues being dealt with and how city staff will work with you through the process. I think this will turn out to be a great project if you can get everything sorted out. I’m looking forward to it!
I forgot to ask…Did you have to do any environmental site assessments before the city would consider the rezoning?
I am so excited that you guys are the ones that were able to buy this building!! I love your style and I can’t wait to see how you infuse your family’s personality into this cool space. While I have no connection to this building or it’s history, I love learning the history of old places and I love that you have spent the time to research it. Hopefully in the future one of those awesome old photos will make it’s way into your home as a nod to the beautiful past it has had. I have loved seeing everything you did in your last home and I am so excited to see how you take this gorgeous building and turn it into something even more amazing.
Since there was a gas station, did you have to test the ground and make sure there was no contamination?
The thing I’m wondering is what’s around it? Is it other stores or commercial buildings or are their residential areas next to it? I can totally see it on the inside but I’m very curious to see what you are envisioning for the outside. Can’t wait to watch this journey of yours in progress!! Eek!!!
Nikki, check it out on Google Maps- looks like there’s a house on one side and across the street, and a nice looking restaurant with a large patio on the other side. Seems like a good small town mix of commercial/residential
This is in a mixed residential/light commercial area of Santa Clara.
The Hafens are my Husbands Grandpas Family that own that store. So crazy!!! I’ll see if I can dig up more information! So excited to watch this come to life.
Eden that would be AMAZING!!!
This is such an awesome, brave project and I’m excited to follow it. Does your mind ever boggle when you think about where you started and where you are now?
I left you some comments on Facebook. I’m your new neighbor and have been doing a walking tour on facebook live recently. I’ll be showing off the merc Monday or tuesday. My mom.just brought me a written history of the need last night. I’ll get you a copy. Can’t wait to visit with you and share!!
I’ve got chills (and as a matter of fact, they ARE multiplying), not because I have any connection to the Merc or that area, but just because it’s so freaking amazing to see a building with that much history take the next step on its journey. Without a doubt, it will be the perfect home for you, your creative brain and your beautiful family. Can’t wait to see what’s next!
Awesome history about #santaclara! Please write more.
I don’t know about the Merc, but Santa Clara is the cutest place. I drove through a couple years ago and was so in love. You are the best for taking this on! I’m so excited about it!
I hope you use some b&w or sepia pictures of the old Merc as art in your home. Also, were the underground gas tanks ever removed?
So excited for you and this journey!! I’m loving follo along. Looking forward to the Q&A. Can you live in a commercial house?? I thought that was illegal or something. Excuse my ignorance.. Haha but I would love to know how that works!
I’ll reiterate what others have already said and let you know how excited I am by the Merc. You are living your dream which is not something everyone gets to do. Your blog is so special to me because you are a real person not living (or at least not advertising) some impossible instagram fantasy. The Merc will be your muse and I cannot even tell you how much I am looking forward to the new projects. This is grownup DIY christmas!
I lived across the street for a few years in the house next door to what is now the garden sprout. When I was there, they had an esssntial oil business in there. I can remember the name though. I remember how sad it was when the old Hafen house came down and was turned into a parking lot.
I am from the area and the Merc was my favorite place to go as a kid!
I even remember when they put a Soda machine in! it was kind of a big deal lol Before that we would get our little brown paper bags full of penny candies, a root beer and then head to the fruit stand for a plum (they had the best plums) and cherries
It’s been years since I’ve commented, but I’ve been following along with your blog this whole time. Santa Clara is one of my favorite places in the St. George area. I am so jealous that you have purchased–and are going to transform–the Merc! I don’t have more info on it, but I’m excited to follow along. I know it will be quite the journey.
It’s so YOU! I am a real estate agent and I love watching for these unique properties. Last year, we bought a weird home I am in LOVE with…like, love at first photo, write an offer without seeing it, LOVE, and one of my friends/clients said, “This is the house you knew in the pre-existence!” LOLOLOLOLOL.
My only question is, are you bummed about moving so far from the D.I. ;-)!
My family lived in Santa Clara heights when I was a kid (in the late 80s/early 90s). My sisters and I would walk down the giant hill to The Merc and buy penny candy. Such happy memories.
I’ve been following you for a few years and this is one of those things that makes such perfect sense (you + The Merc), I don’t know how no one suggested it sooner. I am so excited to see what you do with it!
Oh, my, gosh. This is like reading a novel that you can’t put down! I can’t wait for the next chapter! You go Mandi!!!
Man, this is going to be so exciting to see the transformation. Mandy, I love how undaunted you are. Plus, preserving an old beauty is such a worthwhile endeavor. Best of luck with this,
My grandpa is Doug McArthur that you talk about in this post. Let me know what you would like to know and I will be happy to ask him. PS- we planned on putting a Merc float in the Swiss Days parade this year with all of Horace and Ethel’s great great grandkids (my kids) on it. I hope that you don’t mind now that it’s yours. We could use your skills! Haha you will love the Santa Clara 1st ward. It’s truly the best!!!
Malea I LOVE that idea!! It will be so great to see all of their family!! A really nice person from the Heritage Committee gave me his phone number and told me that they were sure that he’d answer any question that I could throw at him, I haven’t had a chance to call him yet but maybe give him a heads up that he might be getting a call from an over enthusiastic Gubler!
I have been a long time reader, hardly ever commenter, lol! But this saga has me on the edge of my seat! Mandi, you can’t post fast enough for me!!
I am like Branna. don’t write much but this is so interesting so happy for you and your family.
I just wish that there were HGTV cameras following you all the time for this journey. It would make the best show in sure!
My mother, Florence H. Stucki, began her postal career about 1961 in that post office. She worked there as part-time clerk for Max Hunt. She was also part-time clerk for Thelma Gubler, when the post office moved to an addition on her home, and for Darryl Talbot at its current location. I think the stucco of this old post office was painted white when she worked there.
Hi! I LOVE seeing everything you’ve done so far! I am 31 yrs old and live in SLC. I was named after Sarah Leavitt who helped settle Santa Clara. My relatives (you may know them) live on Quail street-the street West of the Merc. (Ferron and Peggy Leavitt) My grandpa (Ferron’s brother) bought the home he was born into on Quail Street-the red brick house. I grew up coming down many weekends as a child helping to work on the house. My cousins and I would walk over to the Merc several times a day to buy penny candy (I’m sure they got really sick of us!). Anyway, the building holds a special place in my heart and I am glad you were able to keep it and you realize the importance of its history. Someday maybe I’ll knock on your door just to get a peek inside and reminisce about my childhood memories. Good luck with the rest of the reno!