Columbia Mercantile 1855

I love our local grocery + variety store, Columbia Mercantile 1855 operated by Theresa. This is more than just a “touristy snack spot”. I am regularly in for my favorite meat and cheeses, last minute dinner ingredients for curry, and it feels like almost daily for the fresh baked sourdough loaf (or croissant). If there’s anything I'm looking for and can’t find, she’s been willing to order it for me. I also appreciate that she tries to source local when possible. She has a nice selection of beer and local wine, otc medicines, veggie starts, and gardening gloves to go with. She’s not only friendly and inviting, but knowledgeable of both her business’ origins and the town. I always look forward to going in and chatting. The Columbia Mercantile 1855 is a staple to the town and truly a piece of gold worth stopping in to discover.

Wow, YOU MUST VISIT!! You feel the history when you walk in. The atmosphere is wild. Its like I'm shopping at the little house on prairie store, seriously it was so cool! There are fresh veggies, bread, cheese. I couldn't believe how affordable the prices are as well. That was a shock that it was affordable. We picked up two loads of the fresh bread (1 sourdough and 1 cheddar with jalapenos bread), some old time candy and some other snacks. They had a little of each thing you would need, eggs, meats ,cheeses, drinks, snacks, fresh veggies, fruits and breads plus so much more. I can't wait til we go back to Columbia State Park to stop in for more bread and treats. Staff was friendly and helpful. Next time I will take pictures of inside but I was so excited to shop there I forgot to take pictures. 😊 Here is the sourdough bread, outside of store and some of the town.

Such an awesome grocery store/ General Store in the heart of town, our family was thankful to find healthy organic produce and the prices are cheaper than most major food chains that carry the products they carry, also the art gallery is really cool, a definite must stop regardless the town is California history at its finest.

Very authentic Mercantile, decorated beautifully. Fair prices. The owner, Theresa, was so nice and full of stories about the place and its history. We bought a delicious Marionberry pie and other delicious goodies for a picnic. I highly recommend visiting there.

A True Hidden Gem in Columbia State Historic Park! I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Columbia Mercantile 1855 today and was delighted to meet the owner. The store is an incredible mix of basic necessities alongside high-end, organic, and locally sourced products—all thoughtfully selected with care. It’s rare to find a place that caters to both practical needs and gourmet tastes so well. I loved discussing travel stories with the owner, who is as knowledgeable about the history of Columbia State Historic Park as she is about the incredible products she offers. It’s refreshing to see businesses like this flourishing in a historic setting. The prices are also surprisingly reasonable, especially for California, where you’d expect higher prices inside a state park. From amazing bread and wine to hardware goods and even music accessories (yes, they have violin strings and guitar cords!), this store has everything you could need. The best part? They are open seven days a week, making it incredibly convenient for both locals and tourists. Whether you’re a local stopping by for essentials or a tourist needing a bottle of water or a snack, Columbia Mercantile 1855 offers a fantastic experience with a thoughtful selection and friendly service. I can’t recommend it enough!

This place is amazing. The lady who runs the store was so friendly and has put a lot of time and work into making this place like an old stay grocery store. Stop by and pick up some items to have a picnic in town or go in and grab items to take home and make dinner. There is something for everyone here. This is a place we will be back to visit. What a great experience.

A grocery store like no other, worth a stop for incredible, original and unique products from all over the world representing the variety of food one would have found during the Gold Rush: German Paulaner Hefe-Weizen beer, French Isigny-Ste--Mère butter, British McVities Digestive cookies, just to give three examples of the treasures you can find there. Of course next to the frozen section, you’ll also find fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh bread and everything to make your own sandwich… while drinking the local Sarsaparilla, the official drink of the 49ers (not the football team!). It doesn’t get better than this!

Nice clean. Small store right in front of Columbia Park Town. I can say it has all enough things you need for emergency from snacks/ dry- cold food/ wine/ to essential household or even fresh veggies.

What a great store. The merchandise was cool, interesting, reasonable prices. We loved looking through the beautiful hand made and local items. Beautiful supplies, kitchen tools, towels, cups... Even the lady at the counter was dressed up in period clothes, friendly helpful service. Prepared food too. You can't miss it, on the Main Street.

We stopped here a couple of weekends ago while working in the area. It's been years since we've been to this park. I don't think this is the same market we went to before for sasparilla, or it's been remodeled. The owner was awesome and rightfully proud of what she's done with this place. It's Little House on the Prairie meets Trader Joe's. No Whole Foods or ridiculous Erwhon prices or pretentiousness (shame on them). Anyway, I adore this market. We bought Kalahari Biltong (air dried, thinly sliced beef with the texture closer to prosciutto) and bottled water. There was local artwork and so many great food, picnic, and gift items. Since we were supposed to be working, I didn't linger too long. Will return to support them and browse around longer. This is the perfect spot to grab your picnic items and eat outside at the park.

I haven't been this keen to write a Yelp review in a very long time... I have come upon the mother lode of hidden gems---- Teresa (@ helm) is from Walnut Creek, and I detect Brit in the other gentleman... but what they have managed to procure in their darling, picturesque store (directly across the street from the original mercantile-- think Mr Olson Little House) is NOTHING short of AMAZEBALLS inventory!! From clotted cream to Willamette Marionberry pie slices, to Japanese S&B curry, to Raymond's sourdough, this store is absolutely certain to sate the foodie who misses access to specialty items. My friend even bought a harmonica here! I absolutely think this place has platinum taste, and the decor of the large corner store is so darn charming!! I was waxing poetic to them about what a great job they have done as small business owners. Super rare finds like local soaps, and wines, cheeses... remember those 1970's candy stix? They're here-- which reminds me personally of Farrell's! Lastly, I scored two bottles of sarsaparilla soda here!!! What a total joyful visit and definitely will return!!!! Yay for the best thing I have Yelped about in over 5 years. Don't short yourself of this orgasmic experience and visit!!!!

Wonderful customer service. I don't think you'll find anywhere that will treat you so well and go out of their way to make sure you are taken care of. I can't say enough about the proprietor, who is friendly, interesting to chat with, and goes out of her way for you.

Columbia Mercantile is great! Many years ago, under previous ownership, there was virtually nothing I was interested in. The Mercantile is now chock full of local, interesting, wholesome, and nourishing products. From the local wines, dairy, and food, to the keepsake-worthy sundries and kitchen items, there is something for everyone. For those camping or living nearby, there is a good selection of basic products like milk and canned goods. For those who want to have gourmet picnic, there is a myriad of gourmet items. For those on a restrictive diet, there are many gluten free, vegan, and nut-free items. Every item in the store has been carefully and thoughtfully selected by the Proprietress, Teresa and it is nearly impossible to leave without at least some snacks and great conversation. Come by and support a locally owned business.

What an eclectic collection of groceries anywhere. We purchased the fresh mango yoghurt and homemade hummus. Very delicious and I would go back every day if the drive wasn't so far from home. You must stop by if in the area.

Such a cool little shop! Came in on a very hot day and I think they are one of the only spots with real AC. But it's nice because they have all sorts of treats and snacks both modern day and old timey. This place definitely will give you all sorts of nostalgia feels as soon as you walk in. I wouldn't say you come here if you need to stock of on snacks for your trip because the prices are a little high. But you can definitely stop in for novelty or specialty items. I like their assortment of fun candies and they also have some cool artwork as well. The person who owns the shop is very knowledgeable about Colombia and is more than willing to give you a good history lesson - or conversation - about the area if you have the time to listen! Probably where we learned the most about Colombia out of the whole town!

My family and I are big fans of Columbia Mercantile 1855. They have everything and more that you need! From grocery items to wine and sweets you'll return for more and more. The owners are very friendly and bring this historic market to life in their dress and enthusiasm. One can also find some rotating art work featuring local artists. Be sure to stop by! Great prices. A true jewel of Columbia.

Wow! What a great find! We have a cabin in Arnold, so not too far away. My husband and I decided to enjoy a drive to Columbia for the afternoon. Stumbled upon this store...and what a great find! Spoke in depth with the owner, which I give 10+ stars too, as she took the time (while still interacting with anyone that came in) to give us the history of the building/store, why she opened/re-openers, etc. She has done such a great job in choosing what she carry's. Also extended that if she doesn't have it, she can likely get it, which is great to hear. I could go on and on, as it made my weekend; however, I encourage locals, tourists and everyone in between to stop in and support this amazing local business. I would also like to comment on being LGBTQ, how welcomed and safe I felt ‍

I visited this grocery store back in September. I was staying at one of the Columbia hotels. Teresa, the owner, was wonderful!!! We had a nice conversation about how grocery stores used to be in the old days, and she is delivering on that community connection that the old time grocers used to deliver!!! Most of her items didn't have prices, because in the old days they didn't do that, but I can attest that her pricing is more than fair! They don't mind telling you prices if you ask, and I was often surprised by how inexpensive most items were! I ended up getting sick during my three day trip to Columbia. Since I had had an in depth conversation with Teresa about what she offers, I knew I could go to her for medicine for my stomach. She also had ginger chews, and real ginger ale for my poor belly. It was like being with family, and that felt really nice. If you have sick children, go see Teresa, if you have questions about anything, go see Teresa! Need a microwave?-go see Teresa! She'll make you a sandwich! Full full service grocery store with very fair prices and a beautiful location! I ended buying all of my sovereign gifts there, and saved a fortune!!! Tell her Sally said hi!

Very friendly owner! They have a great supply of food, snacks and drinks for sale. They stay open a bit later than most other businesses. They have soda, water and beer as well.

So many organic, vegan, and gluten free options!!!! Seriously I go to multiple grocery stores in the bay area to fill my pantry and everything I love is here. Teresa is a lovely human who tries to get to know her customers by name, even if they are only in once every four years cough cough. I wish I lived closer otherwise I would only go here.

We come here everytime we stay in Columbia. The owner is friendly and keeps quite a assortment of goods. We needed for instance this morning some crudhed pineapple, coconut flakes and chopped nuts, and she had it all. Infact my husband lost the bet. Haha Thank you!

A local gem with a refreshing variety of merchandise. Candies that kids love, in the original 1855 building, hosted by graceful and warm staff. Great visit.

Darling mercantile in the heart of Columbia State Park. A great selection of gourmet goods, snacks, cheeses, wines and bread. The lovely proprietor offered to to heat my Dutch crunch roll, which was delicious. They carry wines from local Stevenot, which are reasonably priced and tasty as well. They also carry meats, which I did not have a chance to try. Support this gem in Gold Country!

Beautiful place! Very friendly staff. Everything inside is just so cool & interesting. Forsure a vibe

GO AGAIN? Yes, very interesting grocery store. Great place to search for unusual items. The store is also for purchasing everyday items.

I was staying in the area for a few weeks and enjoyed each visit to the Mercantile. The owner and proprietor is kind, helpful and very knowledgable about not only her items, but also where you can go to get something she might not have availalbe plus the history of the area. Prices are fair for the quality. Make sure to get yourself a loaf of fresh baked bread if it hasn't sold out.

Wonderful local wine selection and vegan snacks! Also the owners are lovely and have great picnic suggestions and supplies :)

Great modern take on an old-school corner store. (It's easy to pass this place given the subtle and historic-looking signage outside.) Glad we stepped in and found a nice selection of a bunch of things. Didn't need groceries but noted for next time - misc kitchen tools, pastas, fresh sourdough bread, local wines, great beer selection, art?! I got a paintbrush, myself. Lots of locally sourced products and it was nice chatting with Teresa about the inspiration behind her spot.

Had a great time browsing this wonderful and quaint store and talking to owner, Teresa, about the history of the building. She is truly passionate about preserving the history of this building as it relates to the town, and she loves educating the visitors of Columbia. She is by far the friendliest store owner in the entire town! This is a mercantile in the truest sense of the word. It has a wide variety of food, beverage, gifts, textiles, sundries, etc. from all over the world. It was great to just browse all the wonderful and unexpected items. This would be a great place to stop and grab some items for a picnic or do some early Christmas shopping. I look forward to visiting again when I have more time to shop!

We absolutely LOVE this grocery store. It's amazing the selections that are packed into this little space. Love the meat from our local ranchers, the milk in glass bottles with cream on top, the hand made pies, deserts, local wines, beer selections, Diestal turkey, selections of produce and much more! The owner can also order just about anything your heart desires. Just call ahead. Oh, I almost neglected mentioning the (warm)sour dough bread & Dutch crunch rolls. To die for. When my family comes to town, taking this bread home is a must. This is an absolute gem in our community. Don't miss stopping in for a cold sassparilla

What a gem of a shop! We were so happy to find this vintage store at the northern end of historic district. It felt like a walk back in time, but with modern conveniences. It was like being at Nels Oleaon's General Store in Little House on the Prairie. They literally have soup to nuts, band-aids to gifts. As well as local art and wines! We picked up picnic provisions - prosciutto cheese wraps, chips, dip, specially beer (Firestone Nitro Merlin stout - a new favorite), as well as a freshly warmed sourdough loaf! Everything was reasonably priced and the proprietor Teresa (who grew up in the town) gave a great history of this really special town and some of the must do attractions. The stagecoach ride amongst others. It was nice to see the store practicing the current health standards (masks). We felt like we hit the Mother Lode finding this store and starting off our day in Columbia, CA.

The Gold Country of California - Route 49 - is a gem for visitors to the foothills of the Sierras. It is like a miles long living history exhibit full of interesting places - both modern and historic - to explore. One of the unassuming locations is the Columbia Mercantile 1855 store in the historically preserved, walkable town, of Columbia. Ones first impression is of walking back in time to the best days of the gold rush and imagining what is would have been like for those seeking their fortune and spending their findings. The store has been wonderfully curated with everything from Raymond's fresh baked Sourdough Bread to the most gourmet food stuffs for picnics to items for stocking your shelves back home or at your airbnb. The products are of the highest quality, the variety amazing for such a modest space, and come from all over California and beyond - including French butter. You would be hard pressed to look for something and not be able to find it. The store rivals any large city gourmet market and the local Route 49 super markets yet provides a personal, locally owned experience that will not leave one wanting. The store also offers a wonderful selection of home goods and houses the Argonaut Fine Art Gallery. What more could you want - Straus milk and art.

Teresa and Columbia Merchantile are great! It is a little unfortunate that most of her business is visitors at the State Park (not that there is anything wrong with visitors). But she has so much wonderful, high quality food and other goods. We often stop by there to pick up fresh bread, dairy and many other items.

While vacationing in Murphys (we're from Virginia), we headed to Columbia State Park to see the Old Town. Columbia has lots of cool stores and a fabulous one: Columbia Mercantile 1855. The store has fresh market goods, gifts from all over and lots of need stuff to see and buy. You could find all of your hostess gifts and many other tchotchkes you might ever need! Stop in and see the owner, Teresa....she's a peach! And, don't forget to check out the Ranger Office and talk to Stephanie!

WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO SHOP!! Every time we are in or near Columbia we make an effort to stop by this amazing shop. You will NOT ever meet a more attentive or knowledgable proprietor. She is a real gem! We GREATLY appreciate her adherence to local masking rules. She truly CARES about the health and well-being of her customers.

Teresa is so friendly and the atmosphere of her store is so inviting. Absolutely loved the wide variety this store offers (great price points) and the history of that particular location is pretty cool as well. I would definitely recommend.

Lovely grocery market with quality goods! vegan, gluten free, and organic products. They also have delicious fresh baked breads and sweets. Great and friendly service. and good prices as well!

A Unique shop with unique goods; a perfect stock-up for a Tahoe cabin. It looks like a little-bitty grocery store until you notice the shelf of cheeses has dozens of types of cheeses with no duplicates. We picked up Sarsaparilla Syrup for making soda from syrup and club soda. The proprietress causually mentioned it was the *only* store that sold it. Having kids with allergies, I loved that they carried gluten-free flour and unique edibles. This is where you stop to buy all the weird and whimsical foods to give as gifts or make for a special time. It also has regular food. The woman running the store also gives long history lessons; she grew up in the town.

We stopped in here there other day looking for some snacks and were pleasantly surprised to find such a large selection of quality treats! They have the classic candy sticks for a quarter! Old timey fun. But they also had a great selection of beverages, including Brew Doctor kombucha. I was not expecting that at all! They also had a decent selection of vegan cheeses and meats in with the rest of their stuff. If we were staying somewhere with a kitchen, we would totally have stocked up there! We did buy the focaccia and it was delicious and I regret not buying all the bread. And then the owners, when we told them we were staying in Sonora, told us we had to go to the farmers market the next morning. Excellent suggestion! Thank you!

Just discovered this hidden Gem. A little Trader Joe's (but without the prices) and lots of local farms products too. great variety. Very helpful owner.

Visitng Yosemite for a couple days and decided to drive down a check out Columbia, a historical gold rush town. This grocery shop has everything considering it's smaller size. Healthy foods, snackier foods and even microwaveable/refrigerated items. The owners are super kind and knowledgeable about things to do/eat in nearby cities. Happily left with a bunch of goodies and snacks though!

We were camping and I stopped here because the kids wanted to check it out and I was so surprised at what I found. The kids had a blast! They had never seen such a cool grocery store before. A lot of thought goes into the displays, relating to the history of Columbia. Amazing to tie grocery shopping to California History, I love it! As an avid home cook, I found so many items that were special to take home with me to put to use.

Fabulous store with a quality selection. Absolutely a must see when in Columbia. Perfect for grocery shopping for a weekend in the Sierras or to support a local business on the way home!

What an incredible market! So lucky to have a market like this in the area. The owners take great pride in their store and this community. This is a must stop for tourists and locals alike. It is a beacon for how anyone should run their business. They stock all the staples plus so many goodies that continue to delight all us foodies! Support our local businesses!!

Stopped in just for snacks and a cold beverage but ended up grabbing dinner ingredients! So glad we found this truly special little store with quality supplies and service.

This store with a long history is now open under a new owner, Teresa. I wandered in and was greeted so warmly by her mom, who I immediately liked and bonded with. Turns out she was originally from the same city as I currently live in. Teresa is working hard to make this General Store back to it's original purpose, while providing a great service to the 3000+ locals. She has such necessities as milk and eggs, but also has items that are relevant to the tourist. She will also be highlighting local artists, providing a gallery for their works. The country feel and warm greetings are sure to bring in many guests to find just what they are looking for!

This is my local grocery store! Teresa carries all the items we use on a daily basis and she goes the extra mile to order really good quality food and meats. Her meat is local and the only meat we buy. She has even gone out of her way to bring me groceries after I had surgery and I wasn't able to shop on my own. What kind of amazing service is that? You don't see people care these days anymore like she does. And I applaud her choice of masks in the store. I'm immunocompromised because of my surgery and I can't state how important it is to me that she cares in that way. Best store around, worth a visit always.

Friendly family-owned business that just opened on May 5, 2018. They carry an interesting array of items, from vintage porcelain creamers to 5-cent root beer lollipops to dry pasta in nice displays near the cash registers. The vibe is warm and welcoming...old-school charms in a brand new store, if that's possible. It fills a void on the busy block--hard not to do well.

My husband and I were staying in Sonora and was visiting Colombia state park for the day. We both are vegan so we had packed food with us figuring no one would have vegan options, but when we stumbled into this store we were surprised by the many vegan options she offered. Teresa offers gf, vegan, and organic options in her store. She even has fresh produce which is awesome! Prices are fair and the products are of quality. Teresa shared how she grew up in the area and how she and her husband worked together to reopen this store with the intent of keeping it historic. If you want quality food at a good price as well as a history lesson I suggest stopping by and saying hi to Teresa. Next time we plan a trip to the area we will definitely be stopping by here again.

This is not just a cute store they actually have a wide range of groceries, good quality reasonably priced and seriously the best house made crusty sourdough bread freshly baked that you can find in the county. And reading April b's review I like them even more

Great historic store located in Columbia State Park. I had the pleasure of meeting the owner. Wonderful person. She recommended a raspberry ale from Libertine brewing company. Out of this world. Enjoyed the remainder of our visit drinking in the streets like Joaquín Murrieta.

Had a great time exploring this beautiful shop. Teresa knows so much history of this beautiful place and the Art section in the back is so peaceful. Would recommend to stop in, get some ice cold Sasparilla and a taste pastry.

I just met Teresa who remodeled the Columbia Mercantile 1855 and I can't believe how great it looks!!! The foods are fresh and gorgeous. It has a wonderful old western feel! come here to learn the difference between sarsaparilla and sassafras!

What a treasure we have in Teresa and her very special Columbia Mercantile 1855! During this crazy time of Covid 19, we are able to secure the products we need Teresa carries some very special products, ie Duck Fat, Marin French Cheese, MJ Farms meat products, Diestel Products, Italian Pasta, I could go on. Who needs to go the the Bay Area. She has wonderful specialty products in addition to the everyday millk, bread, etc. AND the customer service is extraordinary! Just like 'old times' back in 1855!

Omg... I cannot believe this is my grocery store. Theresa has done an AMAZING job preserving and renovating the mercantile. She really knows her stuff... The history she shares through stories of the good ol' days and her down-home shopkeeper passion make this store more than just a sight to see but actually function as a place where I can, as a member of the community, buy spinach Alfredo sauce, cat food and crave worthy sourdough bread from San Francisco. She's dedicated to serving and if you don't see it there... Just ask she'll get it. Thank you Theresa. God Bless Columbia Mercantile...

My wife and mom wandered into the store during a visit to Columbia, and immediately fell in love. It's obvious that the owner, Teresa, cares about her store, the town, and her customers, and it shows with her loving restoration and eclectic assortment of products and wines. She makes cookies: the peanut butter cookie I had was hands down the best cookie I had had in some time. I wish Teresa could drive up to my house outside Reno and bring me one--they are that good. Wonderful wine selection as well. If you do nothing else in Columbia, check out this store. I loved it so much, I'll be featuring it in one of my upcoming columns.

I really enjoyed my visit to the Columbia Park. There are so many interesting things to see. It's amazing how these gold prospectors found the provisions they needed. Today if you need provisions your best option is Columbia Mercantile 1855 in Columbia. The sign just says groceries and is just across from St. Charles Saloon. If you were shocked by prices at gas station markets you'll be super happy to see normal prices at this store. Columbia mercantile is under new management and Teresa T is doing wonderful things with her store. She grew up in the area and is really trying to show the old-time flavor combined with modern provisions, Souvenirs, art and fun things to take home. But the best part is just visiting with Teresa and learning some hidden secrets and places to visit. She is very knowledgeable and lots of fun to just talk with. She led me to see the first gold mine in Sonora (free) And a great little hike down to a little cavern that the kids would really enjoy (also free). So my recommendation is to stop in the Columbia Mercantile and chat with Teresa, you'll be glad you did.