Willamette Mountain Mercantile:
A Brief History

Mountain Shack, circa 1994, started in the brain of McKenzie Bowerman. A conceptual hub of outdoor activities and supplies, most of which he enjoyed often: skiing, biking, climbing, rafting, sailing, hiking, biking, skiing and biking. And why not put it in Oakridge, along the path to all the best spots? So what if it's a depressed ex-logging town at an awkward stage?

In 2004, it was born. A defunct gas station was chosen to house the new store, old Don's Truck stop est. 1943. Located across Hwy 58 from the only grocery store in town, Willamette Mountain Mercantile opened on June 1st. Armed with Tim Kaiser's old stock from Cycle Bi, a now extinct bike shop in Eugene, McKenzie threw open the doors without even one new bike to sell. As we (Mac & I, his wife, Danielle) deliberated about how to fill the 1,750 square feet, a framework emerged, becoming the WMM philosophy. It'd be Mac & Danielle's Locker, all the things we love to do. We'd get as many locally made products as possible, starting in Oregon and reaching further out as required. We'd serve the backcountry folks first, the human powered adventurers: telemark and cross country skiers, hikers, mountain bikers and road bikers and the most important of our customers: the bicycle commuters. No guns and no motors. Fishing was out because Bert's Fish N' Stuff already had that niche.

The Merc went through many metamorphoses. Don's was empty for a number of years and we had lots of fun making it habitable again. In fact, 2/3 of it was condemned. First, we got on the roof. Norm Coyer helped us pull the thing together and set it back to the original height. A couple of hurricane straps and viola! Instant structure. Then we got windows. Nothing was going in there until we could secure it. The old broken single panes were boarded up and dangerous but in a cool old warehouse sort of way. A layer of paint and a butt load of vacuuming and we were off. Wow, that first summer went by fast.

But we had a lot to work with. The building is a unique shape. One large and tall East room, a shorter but spacious middle room with a pneumatic lift in the floor, a narrow and low West room, and a cold bathroom with no hot water at the very end. Now the East room is our work and repair area surrounded by the register counter and all those little necessities we love. The middle room has been transformed into the showroom of bikes and camping gear, complete with a wood stove and rental skis and snowshoes in the winter. The East room is Carhartt Land with a smaller yet decent amount of prAna, Wild Wear, Prison Blues, Louis Garneau, Burley and other brands. (See the "Products" page of this site for a complete list). We've gotten nearly the entire original list of desirable outdoor accoutrements and then some, and a person can still walk through the space without tripping (usually). The bathroom is under construction and will soon be a comfortable dressing room/bathroom with a nice sink (with hot water!). Our beloved mercantile has come a long way. By the way, what is a mercantile?

mer•can•tile adj

1. used for trade or by merchants, or characteristic of merchants or trading
2. relating to or typical of mercantilism

So what is mercantilism?

mer•can•til•ism n

1. an early modern European economic theory and system that actively supported the establishment of colonies that would supply materials and markets and relieve home nations of dependence on other nations
2. the principles and methods of commerce

(Encarta® World English Dictionary © 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.)

We are the Mercantile of the Willamette region including the Mountains, Rivers and Forests.

As for the crew aboard this swaying ship, it too has grown and progressed. We began as three: Mac, Danielle, and the best little black dog ever, Buddy. That spring, this chubby kid named Ty came in and bought a 24" bike. He never really quit hanging out here and he was hired in June 2005. He is now a not-at-all- chubby, most eligible bachelor. Next came Kip, a world-renowned musician who happened to fix bikes as a kid and later, nuclear submarines. He subs us out and guides us through rough spots. Lastly, we heard that a long time mechanic living in Bend intended to buy a house here. He also happened to be an old friend of mine from Flagstaff and we had traveled in New Zealand at the same time. Of course, the Merc nabbed Eugene when we got the chance. So, that's our crew. Please see the "Staff" page of this site for more on this subject. And come visit the shop if you haven't yet, it's a fun place and you are always welcome!