Sarah and Craig Merrill are blending their Merrill Mischief classics into a new general store on West Union Street, filling the spot of the former Morganton General Store.
Sarah and Craig Merrill are blending their Merrill Mischief classics into a new general store on West Union Street, filling the spot of the former Morganton General Store.
Just in time for Memorial Day weekend travel, Sarah and Craig Merrill have officially opened Merrill Mischief General Store in the former Morganton General Store space on West Union Street, following a longtime downtown fixture with candy, coffee, fudge, and new offerings.
The new general store, which had its soft opening on Wednesday and will have its grand opening on Saturday, builds on Merrill Mischief’s candy, fudge, and Christmas goodies, while adding general store classics. Longtime Merrill Mischief customers will still see the same features and products that helped make the business a downtown favorite.
The Merrills have added Morganton T-shirts, toys, candles, soaps, kitchenware, snacks, coffee, Asheville tea, and more to bring a general store feel. Sarah Merrill said every addition to the store has been intentional, with many items coming from North Carolina businesses.
“There’s a story behind everything we sell,” she said, adding that the store will continue carrying longtime favorites like puzzles and Jim Shore collectibles.
Walking into the space, customers will recognize familiar touches alongside the new additions. The candy section and Merrill Mischief’s signature candy boat remain, while the beloved train also made the move, this time with a longer route.
The new space also features a Harry Potter section from the original store, next to a checkout counter that Craig built. Mixed throughout the store are family and friend’s antiques, including a Charles Chips container, Sarah’s grandmother’s butter churn, and a childhood tricycle from Benjamin Belton of Benjamin’s and Libba’s.
In the back of the shop, Craig will be making 14-16 flavors of fudge and other treats that are Merrill Mischief staples. Across from the fudge counter, customers can grab regular or decaf coffee from Pisgah Roasters and choose from a variety of cookies, mixes, hot sauces, cheeses, and more. Sarah said she will soon be adding Ashe County cheese to the selection.
The Merrills are also looking ahead to next year. In January, they plan to begin making fresh bagels from a recipe they brought down from up north. They will make bagels upstairs in the former location of Swede’s Cafe.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.