The owner of a new shop on Main Street in Spring City is aiming to do more than sell products. He hopes to highlight the creativity and craftsmanship of the region.
Alisan Road Mercantile, a general store specializing in locally sourced and locally made goods, began a soft opening in February. The shop, located at 89 N. Main Street, is owned by Matt Doyen, who says the idea grew out of his experiences working with regional farmers and makers.
From Farmers Markets to Main Street
Doyen said he first became immersed in the local maker community when he began working with Frecon Farms in Boyertown and participating in farmers markets during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I would see other makers in the area,” Doyen said. “Talking with them, learning their challenges, knowing that there needs to be more opportunities for them to sell their goods.”
Those conversations eventually led him to begin hosting pop-up events featuring locally produced food at apartment complexes and festivals. When a storefront became available in Spring City, Doyen saw an opportunity to create a permanent space dedicated to regional makers.
A Marketplace for Local Vendors
Today, the shop carries products from more than 50 local vendors, offering a wide range of items that reflect the diversity of the area’s creative community.
The selection includes locally roasted coffee, honey, hot sauces, art prints, music from regional artists, books by local authors, and packaged baked goods.
“Just a little bit of everything,” Doyen said.
While the store’s shelves highlight the work of local makers, Doyen said part of the vision is to help foster a deeper sense of pride in the community.
“One of the goals is to showcase all the cool stuff that’s made in our area,” he said. “Hopefully people will see that and it will provide some more inspiration or pride in where they live — specifically Spring City, but more generally southeast Pennsylvania.”
Choosing Spring City
Doyen said Spring City stood out as the right place to launch the concept because of its small-town character and the potential to contribute to a growing downtown.
“I wanted a small-town feel,” he said. “There are a lot of good small towns around here, but Spring City is still up and coming.”
In addition to selling locally made goods, Doyen hopes the space can eventually host community-focused activities, including collaborations with other Main Street businesses, meet-and-greet events for local nonprofits, and rotating exhibits highlighting the borough’s history.
The building itself once housed a stationery store in the 1960s, and Doyen said he hopes to incorporate that history into the space through photos or small exhibits about Spring City’s past.
A Soft Opening and Future Plans
For now, Alisan Road Mercantile remains in a soft-opening phase as Doyen experiments with hours and product offerings while gauging community interest.
The store plans to maintain regular weekend hours while testing additional evening openings during the week, particularly as nearby businesses like Punch Buggy Brewing, which is expected to open later this year, and The Gem bring more visitors to Main Street.
Doyen said the early months are about learning what residents want to see from the shop.
“Any feedback when people come in — any hours, any items they want to see — just let us know," Doyen said. "We’re figuring this out as we go.”
As downtown Spring City continues to evolve, Doyen said he hopes the store can help connect local businesses, makers, and residents.
"Working with other people on Main Street, I think that's where the future is," Doyen said.
