A touch of nostalgia arrives in Bonduel

From the hardwood floor to the tin ceiling, everything about Bonduel’s new Village Mercantile conjures up images of an old-time general store.

That is precisely the atmosphere that Kevin and Renell Bartlett intended to create when they opened the store on Thanksgiving weekend at 149 N. Cecil St.

The couple transformed a former shoe store that had stood vacant for three years into a classic general store featuring an eclectic variety of merchandise and goods.

Renell Bartlett, who manages the store, said she wanted to offer Bonduel shoppers and tourists an experience that combines practical retail shopping with a touch of old-world nostalgia.

“I want people to feel like it’s their store,” she said. “I just want it to be a fun place.”

In addition to decor that includes such natural elements as milk-pail light fixtures, the store’s rural charm is reflected in an evolving product line that currently includes soaps, lotions and candles, as well as ornaments, figurines and classic children’s candy.

After the holiday season, Bartlett plans to transition to other general merchandise while also introducing ice cream by the scoop.

The new establishment has been a hit with local customers and others throughout the area.

Maynard and Marla Gipp, who live near Crivitz, stopped for a visit recently and were fascinated by the Village Mercantile’s nostalgic look and appeal. Maynard Gipp said he grew up in Cecil and remembered shopping for shoes in the very same building with his parents in the 1940s and ’50s.

“This is amazing,” he said.

The early 20th century building originally was a shoe store operated by Herman Lutz starting before the Great Depression. The property later housed a few different antique shops before the Bonduel Resale Shop occupied the space for about 30 years.

In the three years since the resale shop closed, the storefront has remained vacant, creating a void near the center of downtown Bonduel.

Village President Sharon Wussow said she was excited that the Bartletts acquired the property and put so much effort into reviving it for their new business venture.

“They really did a good job,” Wussow said. “It’s really beautiful.”

The Bartletts, who moved from Michigan about 20 years ago, already own Village Tractor & Repair, located a couple of blocks away at 201 W. Green Bay St. After much consideration, the couple decided to purchase the old shoe store building this summer and invest in restoring and upgrading it.

They endeavored to get the store open for the holiday shopping season, including a Christmas tree lot that they relocated from its usual spot outside Village Tractor.

Although some work remains for next spring on the building’s exterior, the Bartletts have gotten a kick out of seeing the community’s initial reaction to the new Village Mercantile. Kevin Bartlett said support from area residents has been encouraging.

He added: “We enjoy being with people, so we enjoy the experience with them.”

Antique shopper Lisa Montevideo was impressed by the Village Mercantile’s authentic decor, saying it reminded her of an old-style general store that she frequented during her childhood in Door County.

“It brings me back,” she said. “It fits the building.”