The beautifully appointed Edinburgh Mercantile in Edinburgh's Stockbridge neighborhood elevates everyday, practical home goods to a whole new level. Rosslyn and David Spencer established Edinburgh Mercantile in October 2020 filling the space with a carefully considered range of practical and beautiful objects from specialist makers that they admire.

"We believe a physical shop remains very important and relevant. We all still enjoy human interaction which also allows customers to get close to the product. We believe people are more considered in their purchases and aware of the provenance and impact on natural resources."

Who designed Edinburgh Mercantile? We designed Edinburgh Mercantile as a simple yet welcoming space, inspired by an old general store whilst mixing our love of contemporary and historical design. The retail space remains sympathetic to the building and our neighbourhood but is reflective of our personal taste and the way we live today. Ambiance is important to us and customers often comment on the calming green walls and the fragrance in the space.

Is there a story behind the shop name? Mercantile is an historical term relating to merchants, trading and commerce and the fact that we live and have the shop in Edinburgh inspired the name of our business.

What are Edinburgh Mercantiles “must-have” products? We place a real emphasis that our collection of products are practical and useful. Our customers select what’s essential for them, whether that’s some wonderful studio pottery, Japanese incense or a functional broom.

Why were you inspired to open Edinburgh Mercantile? Since meeting in 1998 we always had a dream to have a shop in the neighbourhood in which we live selling goods we love from makers we admire. We felt there was a need and an opportunity in our city to offer a slower and more considered selection of products to help make a happy home. Focusing on smaller specialist makers allows us to work directly with them and showcase their passion and expertise of their craft.

Why did you choose this location? The Edinburgh Mercantile shop is located in Stockbridge, part of Edinburgh’s Georgian “New Town”. A vibrant and historic village within the city. We share the area with many other wonderful independent shops, cafes, bakeries, restaurants supported by the local community and beyond. Stockbridge is a characterful area with an abundance of architecture, green space, creativity and history.

What did you do before having your own shop? We both worked on the buying and product development side for a young fashion multiple retailer.

What are your favourite local independent businesses? Stockbridge and Edinburgh has an abundance of inspirational independent shops. Too many too mention but some of our personal favourites are Dick's , Epitome & Bard.

What are your favourite shops? Our travels over the years have inspired us greatly, particularly our visits to Tokyo.

"The pandemic has encouraged people to shop locally where they live and to also be more supportive of independent businesses. It has inspired a wealth of creativity enabling people to make and find interesting products closer to home."