Sugartown Mercantile: Retail Success Made on Main Street

When Sugartown Mercantile opened on Stuttgart’s Main Street in May 2022, the sisters behind the business were thinking bigger than local retail. They wanted a storefront that strengthened downtown, reflected community character and was supported by trusted local partners, including Farmers & Merchants Bank. 

They’ve achieved all three. 

Sugartown Mercantile is operated by sisters Michelle Jacobs, Andrea Jacobs Knight and Brooke Yelvington Parker, with Parker serving as general manager and the face of the store. A fourth sister, Taylor Yelvington, provides seasonal help. 

The shop blends what the owners describe as “true mercantile” sensibilities — pantry favorites for an elevated palate — with hand-selected vintage finds, home wares and gift-able items curated for customers who want something they can’t find elsewhere in Stuttgart.

The business grew out of a practical need. The sisters were initially searching for a Main Street building that could house Jacobs’ growing law practice. What they found offered more than one opportunity. 

“Our space that we’re in right now could house her practice, but also it had enough room for another business,” Knight said. “And so that’s when the wheels started turning.”

Keep It Local

From the beginning, the sisters knew they wanted to work with Farmers and Merchants Bank, a Main Street neighbor where Jacobs had previously worked with the loan and legal departments.   

“We want to keep this local. We want to get our money local for this,” Knight said she told Alex Maynard, who is now Farmers’ Commercial Banking President. “We’re going to need you as a partner because you’ve got to have a nice store, and you’ve got to have a good bank that can take care of you.”

That partnership began with financing to buy the building, followed by loans to renovate it — transforming a former insurance office and coffee shop into a bright, welcoming storefront — and later a line of credit essential to running a retail operation. 

The relationship has remained personal. With Farmers and Merchants Bank’s main headquarters just blocks away, bank officers are regular customers. “We can literally just call down the street,” Parker said. “When we have a problem or need something — or they need something — they send a text.”

Next Steps

Downtown investment was always part of the sisters’ vision. They wanted to bring a vibrant business to Main Street that improved the area economically and aesthetically. And they have leaned into Stuttgart’s cultural identity around agriculture and duck hunting. In addition to a well-curated mix of home décor, gifts, kitchenware and vintage pieces, the shop offers duck-themed décor and gifts that fly off the shelves — even when the ducks themselves are out of season.

“We kind of are starting to attract this other — I like to call them duck widows,” Parker said. “They might not be hunting, but their husband is,” Parker continued. “Andrea and I spend a huge amount of time sourcing duck-themed everything.”

Four years in, Sugartown Mercantile is outgrowing its 1,400-square-foot space and continues to discuss expansion and online growth — conversations that include Farmers and Merchants Bank. Jacobs said she talks regularly with Maynard and has worked closely with lender Todd Barnes. 

“They’re always, ‘Oh, y’all are doing really well. When’s the expansion?’” Jacobs said. “They’ve been very patient and helpful… Let us know the minute you decide to pull the trigger — we’re there.”