A dream is becoming a reality as sisters-in-law Michelle and Allison Merrill prepare to open a provisions store together in Paoli this fall.
Main Line Market & Co. will debut at 72 E. Lancaster Ave. in the former Main Line Seafood Market.
“It went out of business, and my husband, Jeff, noticed it was vacant for a couple of months and inquired about purchasing it. He bought the building, and while that was going on, Michelle was planning to move up here from Alexandria and always had a dream of doing a charcuterie shop. I said, ‘I have the perfect building for you,’ and it started from there,” Allison told Whatnow Philadelphia.
When guests step into the shop, they’ll be transported to a botanical-inspired space featuring lush greenery and black hues for a “moody, chic” aesthetic.
“It’ll be a destination,” Michelle told Whatnow Philadelphia. “If you plan to entertain, you can come into our store. We have charcuterie—different sized boards that are curated and great for any size occasion. You can also come and make your own.”
A custom-made display case designed to resemble a jewelry case will showcase charcuterie featuring truffle and fennel salami, caviar and French butter, along with “all the soft and hard cheese you could imagine.”
There will be a fridge and pantry stocked with unique items, including olive oil pearls and a variety of signature snacks you won’t find at an average grocery store. Products will be sourced from across Portugal, Italy, France and Spain.
To round out the offerings, products for entertaining, events and dinner parties will also be available.
“We really want to be a place where people are coming to get good quality things. Allison and I did a lot of the legwork for sourcing the products, but we do have a professional cheesemonger who helped and directed us,” Michelle said.
The duo looks forward to welcoming the Main Line community to the shop.
“It’s going to be amazing to work with Michelle and to get the customers in the store and provide them with something fun and unique,” Allison said.
Main Line Market & Co. is wrapping up its final permitting phase and plans to debut at the end of September. Visit the website and follow along on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates.
